A slow-draining sink clogged with ordinary hair and soap scum can build up bacteria in the P-trap until your bathroom sink smells like rotten eggs. This smell can also happen in sinks that haven't been used for a long time. Clear the clog by using a combination of baking soda, white vinegar and hot water.
Pour the dry baking soda down the drain and then chase it with the vinegar. If you don't have white vinegar on hand, you can use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar instead. Not only does this mixture freshen up foul, egg-smelling drains, but it's also an excellent form of odor prevention.
Chlorine Bleach Removal Method
The chlorine in the bleach chemically reacts with (oxi- dizes) the hydrogen sulfide eliminating the "rotten egg" odor.
If you are smelling rotten eggs in your bathroom or kitchen sink, you might have a problem with hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide gas is unwanted bacteria that produces a sulfur smell. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable, and hazardous smell.
If your drain smells like rotten eggs, you must disinfect the pipes to get rid of the odor. You can eliminate the bacteria by pouring a ½ cup of bleach down your drains. However, if you would like an alternative, pour down ½ a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar.
Yes. If the drain is not clogged but is simply smelly, try pouring a cup of liquid chlorine bleach down the drain and follow it with a stream of very hot water for about a minute or two. This action can sanitize but not unclog a drain because it cannot eat through hair, soap scum, and other gunk causing the blockage.
Hydrogen sulfide usually breaks down in air in about 3 days and is dispersed by wind. Therefore exposure is only likely to continue if there is an ongoing source.
Run the water faucet for a few minutes and the odor should disappear. If it doesn't and you're on a public water supply, the problem appears to be the water supply line and you should contact your water supply authority.
Sewer Leak
Because of the mix of gasses in the sewer, a leak can create a rotten egg aroma in the house. If you step outside and the sulfur smell is even stronger, there's a good chance a sewer line is cracked or busted. What to do: Call a plumber as soon as possible so they can locate and fix the leak.
If you are the one who cannot manage with home remedies to get rid of the egg-y smell, then the ready-to-use vinegar sprays are meant for you. Spray the mixture on the used utensils and allow them to rest for 15-20 minutes. Wash with gentle soap and dry.
This gas is responsible for the unpleasant smell, which can be caused by other factors such as the presence of organic matter or high levels of iron or manganese in the water. In conclusion, water that smells like sulfur is generally safe to shower in, but it can be unappealing.
If the smell is strong when the water in both the hot and cold faucets is first turned on, and it diminishes or goes away after the water has run, or if the smell varies through time the problem is likely to be sulfur bacteria in the well or distribution system.
If the P-trap isn't working properly, sewer gasses can make their way into the bathroom and cause your sink to stink. Your sink should also have a vent that gives backflowing gases somewhere to go. If the sewer smell in your sink is caused by a blocked air vent, you may need professional assistance.
To eliminate sulfate-reducing bacteria from the water heater, you need to raise the water temperature above 140 degrees for 8 hours. Bacteria die out at temperatures above 140 degrees.
When you smell the dreaded rotten-egg-sulfur-odor wafting around your house, caution is king. And we'll just say this now: If there's even the slightest chance that you could have a gas leak, leave your home and call your utility company or the fire department right away.
Rotten Egg Smell
If you smell this odor in the home, you could have a natural gas leak. If a faint, similar smell is coming from the bathroom, you could have a different problem. Sewer gas can leak into your home through a broken toilet seal or unused drain pipe.
Preventative Maintenance
Pouring bleach into the drain when the unit is not operating can leave residual bleach, which will damage the drain pan and line. Using vinegar for preventative maintenance throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line.
Like many chemicals found in your home, bleach can be corrosive to your pipes. Consistent dumping could eventually lead to it eating away at your lines and the process only gets sped up if bleach in your line comes into contact with other acid-based chemicals, or even vinegar.
Sprinkle baking soda down your drain periodically.
Keep it that way by periodically sprinkling baking soda down the drain to absorb odors.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
Pieces of soap, shower gel, dead skin, hair, and other kinds of debris may cause clogging in your shower drains. If you notice a sewerage smell in your bathroom coupled with minor flooding when taking showers, you could be dealing with a clogged shower drain.
A sewer gas smell in the bathroom can be caused by:
evaporation of water in the P-trap piping. broken seal around the toilet in the wax ring or the caulk. A burst pipe. tree's roots have grown into or have caused damage to your sewer pipes.
When the sulfur gives out extreme odors, it's best to look at installing a whole house reverse osmosis system. This will not only stop the extreme rotten egg smell but also give you bottled water quality to drink at your kitchen sink. You will want to get the water professionally tested to see what your levels are at.
Chlorine can remove medium to high levels (amounts higher than 6 mg/L) of hydrogen sulfide through oxidation. Using a feed pump, chlorine can be added to your water continuously to rid it of hydrogen sulfide. Rather than a one-time shock, the feed-pump method keeps your well continuously sanitized.
Use 3 pints of chlorine bleach for every 100 gallons. But you may want to double this amount if you have a really bad odor problem. The odor is caused by hydrogen sulfide, which tends to neutralize chlorine. Fill the water tank, and be sure it's pressurized.