Awful Smell from Drains

I agree with Beth. We had this problem when we were remodeling and we didn't use one of the bathroom showers for months. All we had to do was run the water for a bit every couple of days to stop the smell.

I have heard they get like that when they are dry , pouring water down them will help if that's the problem.

My brother is a plumber and he says ALL drains need to have water run in them regularly. Keep pouring water in the drain every day. All toilets (even seldom used ones) need to be flushed too.
When's the last time you had your septic system cleaned out? It needs to be done regularly.

We have the same issue. There is a bend in a pipe that holds water and the water keeps the sewer gas from coming out of the drain. If there is no water in the bend, the sewer gas comes into the house. I pour a quart or two of water down the drain every time I do laundry, and it keeps the gas at bay. Give it a try, if it does not work, you may have to call a plumber.

M.

Baking soda and a vinegar mixture is supposed to help with the odor. Also, check the pipes under the sink....ocassionally they get loose and need to be tightening. Good Luck!!

You may have gotten a good answer, I have yet to read the responses
Generally, when you have any drain that is giving off a funk or the rotten egg horror, it's because the drain is dry, meaning, it has been unused long enough for the water level in the trap (U or P trap given because of shape) has dropped to allow gases to enter the home.
If you don't use a drain often, you would need to top off thst trap ....with water.
Water is best
Bleach, bad idea, sorry. For several reasons.
The odor from the beach alone can cause headaches, respiratory problems and downright make people feel sick.
Small children, pregnant women, the elderly or infirn, should not breathe in bleach or sewer gas fumes. Imagine combining the 2 in concentration!
Every week or two, depending how hot it is in the room with the drain, pour in a couple cups of water.
If this doesn't fix it, you may have a break in the drain pipes or the P-trap isn't level.
Best to you
N.

Hi S.---How old is the septic system? Depending on several factors, it may need to be pumped out. They do need maintenance from time to time. See if you can find an enzymatic drain cleaner, we use Drain Care and we get it from ACE hardware. It is made by Enforcer Products, www.enforcer.com. The live enzymes will help to digest the solids in the septic tank. Call your local septic expert and ask the questions.

Good luck. D.

You need to pour water down the drains every so often.
The water in the u bend trap evaporates and allows sewer/septic gas to enter your house. Just run the water for a few min or pour a bucket of water down it - either way works well. The maintenance man in the building I worked in would go around every 2 weeks and pour a bucket of water down the floor drains in all the bathrooms for this reason. If this doesn't help, I'd almost think you have a leaky trap (that won't hold water very long) and you would need a plumber to replace it. Also, depending on use, septic systems need periodic pumping out. Some need it once every 5 yrs while others do it once every 10 or 15 yrs.

Bleach and then just keep the black cap on it when not in use, that will keep it plugged till they fix your sewer problems. Bummer.
Just let your friends know that it isnt anything you can control, dont be embarrassed.

your septic may need to be pumped, but in the meantime i'd try good ol' baking soda and vinegar.
khairete
S.

Hi S., I had the same problem in the kitchen and finally called the plumber last year. He said that food coats the lining of the pipes over time and contributes to the smell. He cleaned out the pipes and told me that at least once a month I should use baking soda in the drain. Here's how:

1) Take a half cup of baking soda and pour boiling hot water on it, holding it over the drain before bedtime.
2) Run a little cold water down the drain immediately after and leave it over night.

I've been doing it for the past year and haven't had that smell since. I have a double kitchen sink so I do 1/2 cup on each side. I use a measuring cup with a handle and spout. When you pour on the hot water, it's gonna get bubbly, so be careful.

If the smell is coming from your bathroom, in addition to Rid-X, trying flushing some yeast as well.

My dad owned a Roter Rooter Franchise. He made at least one call a week for this problem. He'd pour a quart of water down the offending drain. That would fill the trap and stop the sewer gas from coming into the house. He would always tell the owner what he did. You can do the same thing and save the money for a service call.

Good luck to you and yours.

You may need to use a Rid-X treatment. You put one in each potty at nighttime or when you will be gone all day and the water will not be used for an extended amount of time.

Also, the big bottles of lemon juice help with smells if it is just in the pipe itself.

I've heard that bleach is not good for the septic and will actually break them down and cause them to smell more.

My husband is a plumber and he said check your drain. You may have a leak or depending on how long the pipes have been under there you may need to replace them. He said when the water is turned on the drain releases that smell. He said dont ever put anything in your drain except water and clorox. Everything else will rot and clog the drain.

I don't know what to do but i can tell you what NOT to do. A little while ago in my town a guy had that problem and thought to pour gas down the drain and light it.(Duh) Guess what happened? The house was a total loss, burnt to the ground. He needs his own spot on Worlds Dumbest. So don't do that.