{"id":252,"date":"2019-09-16T08:49:43","date_gmt":"2019-09-16T08:49:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cleanhousefast.co.uk\/?p=252"},"modified":"2020-04-16T09:47:47","modified_gmt":"2020-04-16T09:47:47","slug":"why-do-bathroom-drains-smell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cleanhousefast.co.uk\/why-do-bathroom-drains-smell\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do Bathroom Drains Smell?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You sort of expect it when your kitchen sink<\/a> starts to smell. Bits of food, fats and oils stuck in the drain can easily throw up a stink.<\/p>\n

But the bathroom drain?<\/p>\n

A sewer or rotten eggs smell coming from the bathroom drain is more baffling. But it has an easy explanation.<\/p>\n

The warm moist environment in the bathroom drain makes a perfect home for bacteria. Water leaden with body oils, dead skin cells and hair attracts even more microbes.<\/p>\n

Over time, the bacteria can form biofilm, a slimy build up that can stink up the bathroom. If there\u2019s blockage, usually caused by hair, the smell from the drain will be worse.<\/p>\n

The best way to deal with this problem is to use a drain cleaner. It will dissolve hair and whatever else is blocking the drain, clear up biofilm and get rid of the awful smell.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want to use a store-bought drain unblocker<\/a>, you can prepare a homemade drain cleaner using baking soda, vinegar and hot water.<\/p>\n

First, pour a half cup of baking soda down the drain (you may need to remove the drain cover) and follow it up with half a cup of vinegar.<\/p>\n

Cover the drain with a plunger to contain the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar. After things quiet down, let the drains it for 30 minutes then pour hot water down the drain.<\/p>\n

This will remove obstructions and freshen up the drain.<\/p>\n

Using a drain cleaner \u2013 whether from the store or homemade \u2013 should help with a smelly drain most of the time.<\/p>\n

Persistent Sewage Smell<\/h2>\n

\"Persistent<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s not always that some baking soda and vinegar will get rid of the smell. If you\u2019ve tried using a drain cleaner and a sewer smell persists, the problem could be further down the drain.<\/p>\n

Your home drainage \u2013 including the one that leads from the toilet \u2013 is interconnected. Sewage and bathroom water eventually end up in the same place.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, because of a problem with plumbing, the smell from the sewage could be escaping from the bathroom drain.<\/p>\n

There are three possible reasons why this is happening.<\/p>\n

1. Dry P-Trap<\/h3>\n

Your shower, bathtub and sink drains all have a P-trap. This curved section is always filled with water that acts as a gas barrier to keep potentially hazardous sewer gasses from escaping back up through the bathroom drain.<\/p>\n

When the P-trap is dry, there\u2019s nothing to block sewer gasses, hence the bad smell you may be experiencing.<\/p>\n

A P-trap can dry when the bathroom has not been used in a while. Guest bathrooms can get smelly because of this.<\/p>\n

The P-trap might also be leaking water out.<\/p>\n

Try running water down the drain to refill the P-trap. If after some time the smell comes back, there\u2019s likely a leak in the P-trap. Ask a plumber to check and fix it.<\/p>\n

Tip: For bathrooms that don\u2019t get used often, pour half a cup of cooking oil down the drain to reduce the rate of evaporation. Alternatively, pour some water or use the shower every now and then to keep the P-trap filled.<\/p>\n

2. No P-Trap<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s possible that your bathroom drain lacks a P-trap.<\/p>\n

Unlike a sink where you can easily see the P-trap underneath (the U-shaped part of the drain pipe), you can\u2019t see the P-trap under a floor drain in the bathroom.<\/p>\n

If the sewer smell persists no matter what you do, ask a plumber to check if your bathroom drain has a P-trap. If it doesn\u2019t we highly recommend having the plumber install it.<\/p>\n

3. Poor or Blocked Venting<\/h3>\n

A drainage system needs venting to work properly.<\/p>\n

Venting maintains the right air pressure within the system to allow sewage and wastewater to drain and provides an escape for sewer gasses.<\/p>\n

If your system\u2019s venting is done improperly or is obstructed, sewer gasses can escape through the drain instead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You sort of expect it when your kitchen sink starts to smell. Bits of food, fats and oils stuck in the drain can easily throw up a stink. But the bathroom drain? A sewer or rotten eggs smell coming from the bathroom drain is more baffling. But it has an easy explanation. The warm moist environment in the bathroom drain makes a perfect home for bacteria. Water leaden with body oils, dead skin cells and hair attracts even more microbes. Over time, the bacteria can form biofilm, a slimy build up that can stink up the bathroom. If there\u2019s blockage, <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[49,28,37],"yoast_head":"\nWhy Do Bathroom Drains Smell? - Clean House Fast<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So why do bathroom drains smell? 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