Ways to eliminate unpleasant sewer odor in the bathroom.

What could be the reasons?

Before taking active measures, you should understand the cause of the sewer smell in the bathroom – why it persists or appears periodically.

1. Incorrect installation of the sewer system. Even if the apartment has a separate bathroom, laying sewer pipes requires certain knowledge and skills. For example, under each drain there must be a siphon with a water seal. The slope is no less important: for every meter of the wall, the sewer pipes must slope by 1.5-3 cm (depending on the diameter). If this is not taken into account, the water simply will not be able to effectively remove impurities.
2. Ventilation problems. If the outflow is poor, the air will stagnate, which will lead to the appearance of a sewer smell in the bathroom.
3. Clogged sewer pipe. If an unpleasant smell appeared unexpectedly, and the water from the sink or bathtub began to drain worse, the pipeline should be cleaned. Probably, the debris that got in is the cause of the fumes.
4. Depressurization of joints. Is there a stench coming from one corner? Smell the sewer pipes located in this place – perhaps the unpleasant smell from the sewer in the bathroom appeared due to wear of the gasket or a slipped seal.

Important! If you doubt your skills, call a professional plumber. The specialist will quickly find the cause and help deal with the unpleasant smell.

Eliminating the unpleasant odor

Once the causes of the smell are found, eliminating the smell is just a technical task. Let’s look at how to get rid of each problem separately.

Fixing the ventilation

First, let’s make sure that the sewer smell in the bathroom is coming from here: bring a lit match or lighter to the ventilation hole. Has the flame gone out or changed direction towards the air duct? The ventilation is fine! Nothing happened? Let’s move on to point #2.

If the apartment is in an old housing stock (especially low-rise buildings before the 80s), start with a complete cleaning of the exit. Often, stone fragments, dust and dirt accumulate there – their removal can solve the problem with the air outflow.

To remove the unpleasant smell for sure and never remember about problems with air circulation again, experts advise installing a forced ventilation system. To do this, electricity is supplied to the outlet and a fan is installed, which can be turned on together with the main light or have an independent electric drive.

See the instructions for installing forced ventilation:

Sealing joints

Determining the source of the sewer smell due to small cracks or loss of joint insulation is not an easy task. The only way to figure out where the stench is coming from is to use your sense of smell and examine all the sewer pipes in the bathroom. Risers, the junction of the waste pipe (if the bathroom is combined with the toilet), the drain system of the bathtub, shower cabin and sink.

If the cause is found, the section is completely replaced or, at a minimum, the sealing gaskets are updated. Still not clear where the smell is coming from? Go through all the questionable places with a sealant – perhaps this will help to correct the situation.

See other sealing tips in the video:

Cleaning the pipes

There are two ways to clean sewer pipes:

Mechanical

For this, use a cable, plunger or other specially designed devices. There are also methods with film – they work on the principle of a plunger, when the blockage is cleared using a vacuum.

It is recommended to clean the toilet if the conditions of use are violated: flushing hygiene products, rags, towels, garbage. The bathtub drain is usually clogged with hair, which is easiest to remove with a special cable.

Chemical

In this case, a special agent must be poured or poured into the drain, wait for the time indicated on the package, and rinse with water. Chemistry literally dissolves the plug and removes the blockage without a vacuum or a plumbing cable.

The most popular products:

• Tiret. The main component is chlorine, which, when it gets into the sewer, disinfects and removes debris. Additional surfactants fight fat, so it is effective not only in the bathroom, but also in the kitchen. Pour 250 ml of gel into the drain, wait 20 minutes and rinse with boiling water.
• Mole. The active ingredient is sodium hydroxide. The method of application is the same: pour 250 ml, wait 1-2 hours (depending on the severity of the blockage), rinse with warm running water.

There are also special products that dissolve hair, have a disinfectant effect, etc.

A plumber will tell you how to clear a severe blockage:

Prevention recommendations

In order not to think about how to eliminate sewer odors in the bathroom, follow preventive measures:

• Trust Only professional plumbers whose experience and knowledge you trust will perform the work: they will set the required slope of the sewer pipes, seal the joints, and check for water seals. A properly installed system will not cause problems with blockages or a smell in the future.
• Conduct regular (once every 2-3 months) cleaning of the sewer with boiling water, soda, or other gentle substances.
• Do not throw foreign objects into the toilet: only toilet paper and flushable sleeves.
• Leave the door open after taking a bath. High temperature and humidity are the ideal environment for the reproduction of fungi and the growth of mold. Even if the hood is on in the bathroom, it won’t hurt to open the door for 30-60 minutes.
• Install filter screens – thanks to them, most of the garbage will not go into the sewer, but simply be thrown into the bucket.
• Flush the siphon as soon as you notice that the water has started to drain worse.
• Get rid of leaks, cracks and other troubles in a timely manner. In the case of sewer pipes, you can’t wait – the longer the problem exists, the more difficult it will be to solve it.

Take the necessary measures or seek professional help immediately as soon as you notice a problem with the smell. Chronic inhalation of ammonia and methane can lead to nervousness, irritability and other, more serious, health problems.