One of the most common issues is a problem with the P-trap. You may find that if your bathroom smells like a sewer after a shower, the P-trap is the culprit. If you can look underneath your shower drain, you'll see a U-shaped pipe that the water passes through. This is the P-trap.
The sewer system is the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can find their way into your bathroom and start multiplying under the toilet bowl, eventually becoming the source of foul smells in the bathroom. That is especially common during hot seasons when bacteria multiply rapidly.
How do you get rid of a sewer smell? Pouring hot water mixed with vinegar and baking soda down your smelly drains is an effective way to get rid of the sewer smell. Leave the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes before running any water through the pipes.
You can also add a mixture of baking soda and vinegar along with hot water to help get rid of the odor. Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain followed by one cup of white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for about 10 to 15 mins and flush with hot water. After this you should have an odorless clean drain!
The combination of salt and baking soda is a very strong solution and eliminates the unpleasant odor of sewage.
Improperly Installed, Blocked, or Damaged Vent Pipe
The primary sign pointing to vent pipe problems is a toilet that looks and functions fine but continues to emanate a foul odor that fills the bathroom area, no matter how much you clean.
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.
Your genes can also play a big role in how good or bad you smell. In fact some people, no matter how much they shower, still smell bad. Callewaert has found these individuals have a larger amount of “bad” bacteria. His approach is to replace the “bad” bacteria that produce the smell with “good” bacteria.
Despite our best efforts to keep them clean, towels often develop a less-than-fresh smell. One of the main causes of this is detergent build-up. Over time, soap residue accumulates in the fibres of the towels, stopping them from absorbing as much water as possible, and from drying as well as they could.
Hair is another place where bacteria like to hide. If you still smell a strong body odor after a shower, consider shaving the hair in your armpits, groin, and chest. The hair's surface is a perfect place for bacteria to call home, and it's harder to eliminate them from the hair than your bare skin.
Use baking soda
Place a small bowl or vase of baking soda or white vinegar somewhere in the room, suggests Lily Cameron, a cleaning expert at Fantastic Services. “They'll absorb most of the smell in the air,” she says.
Fragrant hand lotion: Apply it liberally to your hands then wave your hands in the air. Some people go so far as to squirt a bit of lotion into the commode. Hair spray: The heavier the fragrance, the better when it comes to this emergency air freshener. Again, a puff in the air and one in the toilet works wonders.
The health risks linked to sewer gas exposure include: Hydrogen sulfide poisoning: Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, even in low concentrations. Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide can cause eye and respiratory irritation.
Loose connections along the vent pipe or sewer line can let pungent gases into your home. These will most typically be inside a wall or in the ceiling, requiring the help of an experienced plumber to correct this issue.
When that smell reeks of the sewer, it may not go away on its own but instead, point to a serious problem that might require professional plumbing repair. The wastewater plumbing systems in your home are fairly simple. They rely on unblocked pipes, gravity and fresh air venting to drain.
The awful sewer smell in the house can also be caused by pipes that are clogged, eroded, or cracked, which allows the odor to escape. Rotten and cracked pipes are common in older homes that have not had their plumbing updated. Pipe issues can also be caused by items that should not be flushed or poured down the drain.
Some common causes of sewage smells in households are: A pipe leak: A leaky pipe or drain can cause a buildup of moisture or debris that eventually causes a rotten smell to emanate from the area.
One of the most common issues of drain odor is due to blockages and clogs. Any type of blockages, whether they are partial or full, can prevent waste water from properly leaving your home. Over time, this stagnant water sitting in the pipes can build up bacteria and produce pungent odors throughout the night.
Use baking soda
Place a small bowl or vase of baking soda or white vinegar somewhere in the room, suggests Lily Cameron, a cleaning expert at Fantastic Services. “They'll absorb most of the smell in the air,” she says.
When that smell reeks of the sewer, it may not go away on its own but instead, point to a serious problem that might require professional plumbing repair. The wastewater plumbing systems in your home are fairly simple. They rely on unblocked pipes, gravity and fresh air venting to drain.
Loose connections along the vent pipe or sewer line can let pungent gases into your home. These will most typically be inside a wall or in the ceiling, requiring the help of an experienced plumber to correct this issue.
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.
The health risks linked to sewer gas exposure include: Hydrogen sulfide poisoning: Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, even in low concentrations. Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide can cause eye and respiratory irritation.
Pour Some Bleach in It: Bleach, like other disinfectants, kills almost every species of odor-causing bacteria commonly found in drains and sewer lines. So, an easy DIY step to reduce drain odor is to use bleach.