How to Get Rid of Sewer Odors in the toilet?

Even if you continually keep your house clean, it is still difficult to avoid the situation that the bathroom, toilet, kitchen area, or sink sometimes have strange odors. The odor of toilets not only directly affects the life process but also the health of family members. Not only do they cause unpleasant odors, but they can also cause you to suffocate, conjunctivitis in the eyes, and even lung-related diseases if inhaled too much. Some people can suffer from respiratory paralysis and suffocation due to the smell of sewage containing H2S (hydrogen sulfide) and CH4 methane in high concentrations,

What causes sewer odors in the toilet?

Bacterial growth

Your pipes have a lot of water going down every day, and in that water, many other substances and objects are washed away as well. They can be the leftovers or grease from your kitchen, hair, or soap from the shower that can get clogged up in your drain. It's an ideal place for bacteria to grow and thrive.

When this happens, you'll notice an unpleasant odor from your drains. Sometimes, it's the only evidence in one room, such as your kitchen. In other cases, it can cause odors in many rooms around your home or business.

The nasty smell from the sewer

Most of the cause of the foul smell in the sewer is because the sewer line is blocked because of food particles, grease, hair, and small garbage, ... for a long time. Daily bathing involves the formation of dirt in the drain of dead skin cells, shower gel, and hair loss. Over time, these deposits will clog the drain, causing both odors and slow drainage. If you do not clean the gutters correctly, they will quickly smell bad and unpleasant.

P-trap is dry

One of the most common causes of bathroom odors is P-trap. The P-trap unit is a U-shaped pipe located below the sink. Normally, there is always a small amount of water in the P-trap, preventing foul gases from escaping into the bathroom. However, if some of the faucets in your home are dry because you don't use them regularly, the P-trap will dry out over time. As a result, the amount of water required in the P-trap no longer causes the barrier against releasing odorous gases to disappear.

And you will have to face the risk of an unpleasant sewer smell lingering in the bathroom. Fortunately, this problem can be solved.

How to Get Rid of Sewer Odors in the toilet?

Water bag

The way to deodorize the toilet for a high-rise apartment building with a water bag is relatively new to many people. To do this, you need to use a plastic bag without a handle, fill it with water and tie it up with elastic. Then you put the water bag on the mouth of the drain. After about 1-2 days, the smelly situation in the toilet will be significantly improved.

Coffee grounds or scented bags

You use coffee grounds or raw coffee beans and scented bags of clothes to hang in the toilet to help cover up the unpleasant odors from the drainage pipe. In addition to these ingredients, you can also use tea bags and dry charcoal. However, this option is only a countermeasure and does not solve the problem completely.

Deodorant products

Another quick and temporary measure is to use deodorant products. You can use toilet soap, perfume, or spray to treat the smell. With this method, the smell will quickly disappear, returning the space to fresh with your favorite scent.

Baking soda and vinegar powder

This is a way to deodorize the toilet because the drain pipe is long-lasting and gives better efficiency. This mixture will help you repel the problem of long-term blocked drains effectively. You use baking soda and vinegar in the gutter and wait a while for them to create a chemical reaction and bubble up. Then, you use hot water to pour directly into the drain pipe. Repeat a few times until the tube is completely clear.

Drain unblocking powder

You can use open-drain unblocking powder to fix slow-flowing, slightly clogged drains. Pay attention to choosing a drain cleaner that is not harmful to health and the environment and put it directly into the water pipe, and discharge the water. Do it a few times for the drain to be completely clean, the water to circulate, and the odor to disappear.

How to do it: You pour the drain cleaner directly down the drain. Let the mixture stand for 8-12 hours to decompose the residue, then rinse with clean water.

Unblocked fishing hook

For blocked drains caused by hair entanglement, use a hook to unclog the drain to get the blockage out. Then, add dishwashing liquid, baking soda, vinegar, or bathroom cleaning solution mixed with hot water and pour it directly down the pipe. As a result, the objects that cause blockages will float down and no longer cause unpleasant odors.

Install ventilation fan

Installing an exhaust fan will also effectively reduce odors from the drain. They will help push out all the bad-smelling air from inside the toilet and draw fresh air back inside. And then, our toilet will be less stuffy and airier.

Deodorizing device for toilet wastewater

The part of the pipe below the sink often contains a U-shaped P-trap unit that traps liquids and helps prevent sewer odors from escaping into your bathroom. Sometimes, the amount of water contained in this P-trap unit is evaporated, causing the odor barrier of the P-trap not to work, creating conditions for odors to rise and causing unpleasant odors in the bathroom.

To get rid of this toilet smell, pour a quart of water down all the drains in your bathroom. Doing so will fill the P-trap unit with a small amount of water and allow it to prevent odors effectively. When pouring water to fill the P-trap, you will hear a "gurgling" sound. This is a typical sound when pouring water into the sewer, so you don't have to worry about it.

Contact Local Rooter Corp.

If you would like a free quote on inspecting your plumbing system in San Jose and surrounding areas, our professional plumbers at Local Rooter are here to assist you. Call us at 408-641-9245 or contact us here