Washbasin tap

[Jan]

The hot water tap in the bathroom has periods of chucking out small black bits and it is most annoying as it means emptying and refilling the washbasin several times. We mentioned it to the heating engineer who said it has nothing to do with the boiler.

Can anybody shed any light on this please?

[2point]

Is the black stuff slimy?

Try getting a toothbrush and scrubbing the inside of the tap with neat bleach. Leave for an hour then flush through.

It's most common in soft water areas - it's biofilm - airborne bacteria.

[Dr.JumbaJookiba]

It needs a clean, if it has a bit in the end that unscrews like this one unscrew it first and clean the filter behind it.

When you've done that or if it's just a regular tap clean clean up the spout with a bottle brush or old toothbrush and a bit of bleach or mould and mildew remover then flush it for a minute or two.

[Jan]

The black bits are small “bits” and don’t look slimy at all. The taps have been in situ for around 20 years so perhaps we need new ones. The water isn’t soft, according to our water company and this is borne out by the residue in the kettle.