If the bathroom stinks of sewage, then it is urgent to begin to find out the reasons. After all, to endure this unpleasant smell is impossible. Usually it has the ability to spread throughout the apartment. Without eliminating the cause of the smell, air fresheners and airing the premises will not help.
Do I have to deal with bad smell?
If the bathroom stinks of sewage, what should I do? The appearance of an unpleasant odor is the main signal that there are any problems. If everything is installed correctly in the bathroom and is properly operated, then no aromas, except pleasant ones, should arise. The appearance of a nasty smell is a sign that it is necessary to proceed with its elimination. In addition, odors of a chemical or putrefactive nature of origin are extremely dangerous to human health.
Dirt, grease, detergents and hair enter the sewers. Rotting, they release ammonia compounds into the air. The smell is the result of a combination of hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen and a methane mixture. The resulting combination of people should not breathe, it is fraught with negative consequences.
Communication Features
Before you find out why the bathroom stinks of sewage, you need to understand how it works.
The bathroom drain is connected to a common system with a flexible pipe. It necessarily has a curved shape and a drop, so that dirty water does not return back to the bathroom. The tube has a special “shutter” of water, which protects against unpleasant odors. If such a barrier in the form of a liquid disappears, then the bathroom is filled with stench.
If the bathroom communications are combined, then the number of possible causes causing an unpleasant smell increases. In this case, check the common riser, the toilet, as well as the pipes leading to it.
If there is no toilet in the room, then a possible reason is easier to find. In many cases, the bathroom stinks of sewage, if there are defects in the connection of the communication network with the sanitary units, as well as errors that occur during their installation. The stench occurs in rooms in which a water lock is damaged or a violation of the rules for the operation of the sewer has occurred.
If there is a washing machine, inspect the pipes related to it. This is a drain hose connected to a common communications system.
Ventilation system
Why does the bathroom stink of sewage? The cause of trouble with the air is a violation of its circulation in the room. Ventilation is very important, especially in the bathroom. It is able not only to remove unpleasant odors, but also to dry the air, which prevents condensation and humidity from forming.
If there is no ventilation system in the room or it is clogged, the room is filled with stink.
It is not difficult to verify the proper operation of the hood. To do this, lean a sheet of paper against the hole, if it attracts to it, then the air exchange is normal. If this does not happen, then the ventilation system may be clogged. Not all causes can be eliminated on their own.
Sometimes unpleasant odors penetrate from neighboring apartments, this is a violation in the general ventilation system. Birds may fall into it. Therefore, in such cases, it is necessary to call the employees of the housing office.
Blockages
The second reason stinks from the sink stink of sewage is a blockage. This is considered the most basic stench factor. When water after washing flows into the bathroom or sink, grease and other dirt settle on the walls of the sewer. Plaque accumulated inside, becomes a breeding ground for the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. In this case, remove the grate and mechanically remove the formed dirt.
Usually a siphon is clogged - a curved tube located under the bathtub or sink. It is in it that a water lock is located, which holds sewage. If the self-washing corrugation is stretched or sagging, then an unpleasant smell penetrates the room.
It is necessary to return the tube to its place and fix it with a special mount. After passing a small amount of liquid, the shutter will begin to work as usual. There are other causes of odor.
If the bath has not been used for a long period and the liquid has evaporated, then water should be let into the drain. To avoid this in the future, you should use the following advice. Before leaving, pour oil into the drain or cover with a stopper, which will prevent the evaporation of water.
If it stinks of sewage in the bathroom, and the blockage is large and cannot be removed mechanically, you can use chemicals to dissolve plaque. Sometimes a plumbing cable is used.
Pipe coating
Another reason why the apartment and the bathroom stink of sewage include deposits in sewer pipes. This reduces their initial diameter, and the functioning of the liquid is disrupted (the water seal does not work).
To eliminate the smell, periodically clean the pipes, especially if they are cast iron.
Incorrect installation
Stinks of sewage in the bathroom, how to fix the problem? If the cause is a kinky siphon or insufficient water in it, then this is easy to fix. The corrugation is brought into a position when the liquid leaves, and it is checked that the plastic pipe enters the water in the siphon flask. Loosely fitted parts are capable of passing an unpleasant odor into the room.
The correct decision includes checking the joints of all pipes and other parts. The places of their contact are coated with silicone, wrapped with fum tape and re-fixed. Proper isolation can hold back stench.
Washer
Why does the bathroom stink of sewage? The cause of the unpleasant odor is the incorrect insertion of the drain hose of the washing machine. In this case, it is located after the water seal. The stench fills the room through the drum of the machine.
Leaks and condensation
If it stinks of sewage in the bathroom, then it may be the decay of any water that the landlord cannot see. This is possible when there are leaks, and condensation accumulates in one of the corners. In this case, it may drip from the water heater, bathtub or faucet. Be sure to check whether water falls on the shelf where the perfumes are located, or in the basket with dirty laundry.
When a leak appears behind a bathtub, washing machine, or under a sink, it is sometimes difficult to notice.
If this happens all the time, then it will be able to spoil not only the air in the room, but also the tiles on the floor, floors and the ceiling of the neighbors below. Constant humidity leads to the development of mold and mildew. And the smell that emanates from them does not please the inhabitants of the apartment at all.
How to get rid of the smell
If it stinks of sewage in the bathroom, then there are two ways to solve the problem:
- masking or temporary;
- radical.
The masking method is to replace the bad smell with another. For these purposes, it is worth using a strongly smelling product and spray it in the bathroom. A temporary measure that delays the use of the correct method.
The radical method means the use of chemicals, as well as the obligatory repair work to remove defects in the sewer system. This is the most effective way to prevent bad smell.
The use of chemicals
Eliminate unpleasant odors by falling asleep in pipes through the drain holes of special products in which a cleaner is present. After this, the pipes are washed with a strong pressure of water.
This method helps to remove bacteria that develop on the walls of the pipes and on the siphon. They are responsible for the occurrence of an unpleasant odor, and therefore the main efforts are directed at their destruction.
You can clean the system with products that are sold in supermarkets. There are many of them, so problems with their acquisition usually do not arise.
You can also use tools that are easy to prepare at home from well-known components. Here are some popular recipes:
- Make a mixture of soda and salt. Pour boiling water over it. Bacteria are destroyed by soda and salt in a chemical way, and water - by thermal.
- Sometimes for the same purposes a concentrated solution is used, consisting of mustard powder and boiling water. It has similar properties with the previous tool.
- Ordinary whiteness can also act as an effective means to combat the stink. True, it will also spread the smell of bleach throughout the room. As a result, the unpleasant amber from the bathroom will disappear.
Therefore, you can destroy the smell with the help of acid and alkaline solutions. Sometimes home-made products cope with the problem as effectively as purchased products.
Preventative measures
To prevent when it stinks of sewage in the bathroom, you need to use the following tips:
- The easiest method is regular pipe cleaning. However, this procedure is not cheap, and it is not always clear whether it is needed at this moment or not. Sometimes it's just a waste of your own money.
- Particular attention should be paid to the siphon. It is there that waste accumulates in the form of residues of toothpaste, soap and more. Sometimes siphons burst due to exposure to hot water. Cleaning does not take much time, and as a result, the exact cause of the unpleasant odor will be established.
- If there are any problems with the water lock, this becomes the cause of the stink in the bathroom. This can be dealt with quickly. To do this, it is replaced or cleaned.
- Continuous verification requires the junction of the bell and pipe. This is the weakest point of the sewer system, along with a siphon. If the gasket spoils on it, then all the fetid odors begin to penetrate the room. In this case, they change it, use the fum tape for a reliable connection.
- You should purchase a special drain net, which is installed on the bottom of the bathroom and sink. This will prevent hair, large waste and more from getting into the siphon and pipes. It is they that cause the formation of rotten odor bacteria during rotting. One of the simplest ways is to protect the drain from unpleasant moments.
The smell that arises from pipes is a common phenomenon. Many people have to deal with it. In some cases, this does not require a plumber, and the problem is solved on their own. To do this, you can use preventive measures, one of which is the installation of a special mesh on the drain.