There is nothing worse than walking into a beautiful bathroom and encountering a horrid smell emitted from somewhere within the room. One of the very common unfortunate problems in most households is smelly drains.
But the good news is, it is an easy problem to fix, and mostly it can be done without a plumber’s visit. The question here is why does your drain smell even when you have proper drainage systems?
Nobody likes that unpleasant smell that can come after a shower from the floor and drains. The most common answer to this very common problem is the build-up of bacteria in the drainage system.
These bacteria release methane gas which is a by-product of their life cycle, that is respiration and excretion of waste. This methane gas is responsible for the odor.
How Does Bad Odour Harm Your Property?
The sense of smell has always been closely linked to the emotional perception of human beings, and it also plays a major part in memory. We, humans, have an extremely good sense of smell.
The way a property smells can have a massive impact on people who are trying to buy or rent it. Bad odor can be a deal-breaker in any field, your business, a cafe you are running, a hospital, or anything. It can also cause headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, drowsiness, and heart palpitations.
Why Is There Bacteria In Your Drains?
The environment of drains is suitable for bacteria and moulds to thrive. The drains have access to fresh air from above, and they are also dark and moist. The bacteria derive the nutrients from the dead skin cells and contents of toiletries waste that comes down the drain.
The environment of the drain is rich in nutrients and is stable, as a constant supply of nutrients is received from the wastewater. If your drain has a damp smell, it is most likely mould growth causing that smell.
Moulds grow wherever there is moisture and lack of sunlight, thus making drains a common place for mould growth. Tiny puffs of gases are released by the moulds, which smell horrible and these gases can be potentially harmful to inhale as they can cause headaches and dizziness.
Other common causes of smelly drains include the following
A Sewer Gas Trap Problem
There is a p-trap in every piping system. The septic tank is connected to one side of u shaped pipe in the bathroom, and the other side of the pipe runs up to the roof of the house or the building.
The goal of this set-up is to take away the bad odour and supply some fresh air into the house. It’s important for the p-trap to be in a proper working state, otherwise there will be odour.
The goal of the P-trap is to protect the house or building against sewer gases. It does so by collecting the wastewater after every toilet flushes or tap use. The gases are prevented from escaping by making use of water as a trap.
Organic buildup in the pipeline
Organic material can be building up in the pipelines for days or even months, and you wouldn’t even notice. However, as soon as the organic material starts decomposing, it is not easy to ignore as it will start attracting bacteria which will result in a bad smell.
Old Pipes
This sort of problem is more commonly found in houses built before the 1980s. Pipes in those days were made of clay and were joined with cement. The drains of these times are made of mud and clay and can crack quite easily. Little movements below or above them can lead to damage which will further lead to blockage and a build-up of sewage in the drainage system.
Drain Flies
Sink flies, also known as drain flies, maybe small in size but they are still a nuisance. They are drawn to places that have decomposing organic matter, and stagnant water.
Drain flies lay their eggs in the drains and the sewage pipes. Drain flies reproduce and multiply quickly, and they cause a bad smell if they are more in number.
How can smelly bathroom drains be fixed? Here are a few ways
- Pour boiling hot water down the drain and it will loosen any dirt.
- Mix half a cup of baking soda and water and pour it down the drain and let it rest there for a few minutes. The mixture of hot water and baking soda will work on eroding the dirt.
- Mix one cup of vinegar and a cup of boiling water and pour it down the sink. This will lead to a chemical reaction and the debris which are left after the previous steps will be loosened.
- In order to keep the chemical reaction below the drain and make the chemical reaction effective, cover it with a drain plug or a sponge. Leave it like this process by pouring another cup of boiling hot water which will wash away any leftover dirt.
- Repeat the process if necessary.
Boiling Water and Vinegar Method
- Take a pot and fill it halfway with hot boiling water, and the remaining half with vinegar, and pour this mixture down the drain.
- Wait for a few minutes and wash the sink with cold water.
- Pour the remaining vinegar and hot water mixture down the sink.
Removing Mould from drains
- Make a paste of hot water and baking soda.
- Get an old toothbrush and start applying this paste to the drain where there is mould, and let it sit there for 10 minutes.
- Scour the drain with the toothbrush until the mould starts breaking down.
- Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain.
- In the end, pour a cup of water and half a cup of baking soda down the drain, it will cleanse the remaining mould.
Why does the baking soda and vinegar solution work best for cleansing smelly drains?
- Baking soda and boiling water react well and kill odours.
- Acetic acid is a component of vinegar and it neutralises any smells.
- They both are Environmentally friendly. They are natural and non-toxic.
- They are daily needs products that can be easily found in homes.
- When mixed together they form carbon dioxide and sodium acetate bubbles which scour off the dirt.
Conclusion
If you are dealing with an ongoing sewer smell in a basement or you have smelly bathrooms, try the above-mentioned solutions we have provided. Even after trying all this, the odour does not go away, it may be time to consider a sewer inspection by professionals. Professional help will recommend sewer repairs or a sewer line replacement.