5 Reasons Your Bathroom Smells Bad, & How to Fix It
A plumber reveals five reasons your bathroom smells funky
There is nothing worse than walking into a beautiful bathroom and crinkling your nose at the horrid smell emitted from somewhere within the room. At some point, you will come across varied smells within bathrooms. Many homeowners can feel embarrassed when their bathroom has a smell, but it’s important to understand bathrooms will produce a range of odours at one time or another. And usually they can be fixed. Here are some of the common reasons your bathroom may smell funky, with some tips on how to fix them.
Tip: If you’re renovating or building a new bathroom, consider getting a tiled floor waste, which will offer another layer of protection from floor waste sewer smells.
2. Deteriorated toilet waste collar
I know I said the toilet would not be the cause of smells in the bathroom, but it can be the source of a mighty smell if the rubber seal connecting the toilet pan to the waste pipe deteriorates. It’s very common for the rubber seal on the toilet pan collar fitting to go dry or become loose due to age, and the general wear and tear of the toilet being used constantly.
To fix, your local licensed plumber will need to come out and remove the toilet pan and replace the pan collar rubber seal. If the plumber can’t remove the toilet pan, they will use a sealant to reseal the toilet.
I know I said the toilet would not be the cause of smells in the bathroom, but it can be the source of a mighty smell if the rubber seal connecting the toilet pan to the waste pipe deteriorates. It’s very common for the rubber seal on the toilet pan collar fitting to go dry or become loose due to age, and the general wear and tear of the toilet being used constantly.
To fix, your local licensed plumber will need to come out and remove the toilet pan and replace the pan collar rubber seal. If the plumber can’t remove the toilet pan, they will use a sealant to reseal the toilet.
Tip: Consider installing a wall-faced concealed toilet pan, where the toilet pan collar is concealed by the pan. This won’t necessarily prevent the toilet pan collar from deteriorating, but it will conceal any possible sewer gases emitted from the collar when it does deteriorate.
3. Inadequate ventilation
This is not necessarily a plumbing problem, but it is something to consider. Bathrooms contain moisture and their humid environment can cause mould to grow. Adequate ventilation is a must for air flow in the room, and to remove moisture that aids in the growth of smelly mould.
Tip: Natural ventilation, such as an open window, can ensure steam is able to escape from the bathroom.
This is not necessarily a plumbing problem, but it is something to consider. Bathrooms contain moisture and their humid environment can cause mould to grow. Adequate ventilation is a must for air flow in the room, and to remove moisture that aids in the growth of smelly mould.
Tip: Natural ventilation, such as an open window, can ensure steam is able to escape from the bathroom.
Tips: Well-placed louvre windows, installed high where steam rises, is another energy-efficient way of ventilating a bathroom.
For internal bathrooms where there are no windows, install an exhaust fan.
4. Basin overflow
The round hole that is seen at the back or front of your basin is called an overflow. This basin feature ensures the basin will never overflow, should someone leave the tap on and overfill the basin. The water will rise in the basin, and overflow through that hole then back down through the basin waste. Over time, this overflow hole can build up with dust, cleaning products and all manner of waste water, which can cause it to smell a little funky.
Tip: The best way to remove the smell from the overflow of a basin is to pour some bicarb soda and vinegar down the hole. If it requires a more thorough clean, get some pipe cleaners, twist them together, then feed them through the overflow and give it a good scrub. A toothbrush is another great cleaning implement. Be sure not to let go of the pipe cleaners or toothbrush though, as you don’t want to get them stuck in the overflow hole.
Read more useful bathroom stories on Houzz
The round hole that is seen at the back or front of your basin is called an overflow. This basin feature ensures the basin will never overflow, should someone leave the tap on and overfill the basin. The water will rise in the basin, and overflow through that hole then back down through the basin waste. Over time, this overflow hole can build up with dust, cleaning products and all manner of waste water, which can cause it to smell a little funky.
Tip: The best way to remove the smell from the overflow of a basin is to pour some bicarb soda and vinegar down the hole. If it requires a more thorough clean, get some pipe cleaners, twist them together, then feed them through the overflow and give it a good scrub. A toothbrush is another great cleaning implement. Be sure not to let go of the pipe cleaners or toothbrush though, as you don’t want to get them stuck in the overflow hole.
Read more useful bathroom stories on Houzz
5. Push plugs and basin wastes
Push plugs are a convenient fitting that removes the annoyance of having to find a plug to fill the basin. However, push plugs are notorious for accumulating hair, soap and toothpaste over time, which congeals and hardens under the plug and will eventually cause your push plug to get stuck. Whatever accumulates under the push plug can also build up in the basin trap waste. After a while, the basin waste can produce a sulphur-like smell.
Tip: Drain-cleaning products can remove this smell, as it will dissolve the organic matter that causes the smell. Alternatively, replacing the push plug and basin waste can remove the smell instantaneously.
Push plugs are a convenient fitting that removes the annoyance of having to find a plug to fill the basin. However, push plugs are notorious for accumulating hair, soap and toothpaste over time, which congeals and hardens under the plug and will eventually cause your push plug to get stuck. Whatever accumulates under the push plug can also build up in the basin trap waste. After a while, the basin waste can produce a sulphur-like smell.
Tip: Drain-cleaning products can remove this smell, as it will dissolve the organic matter that causes the smell. Alternatively, replacing the push plug and basin waste can remove the smell instantaneously.
If you notice a smell in your bathroom that isn’t pleasant, and you know it hasn’t been caused by someone using the bathroom, use your nose to identify the cause. If you’re at a loss as to why your bathroom still smells funky though, call your local plumber to check for possible causes of the smell.
Read more:
7 Tricks to Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh
How to Speed-Clean Your Bathroom in 30 Minutes or Less
Tell us
Have you had olfactory issues in the bathroom? And with what results? Tell us in the Comments and join the conversation.
Read more:
7 Tricks to Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh
How to Speed-Clean Your Bathroom in 30 Minutes or Less
Tell us
Have you had olfactory issues in the bathroom? And with what results? Tell us in the Comments and join the conversation.
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In some homes, the floor waste will be a round, chrome grate that will be flush with the tiled floor in the middle of the bathroom. For more modern bathrooms, the shower waste may be the main grated waste in the bathroom like in a wet room design.
This floor waste (and/or shower waste) should have a water seal at the bottom to prevent sewer gases being emitted through the grate. If the bathroom is used consistently, it will be highly unlikely for the floor waste to be dry. You can check the level of water by shining a torch down the grate. If you can’t see any water, it’s possible that this is causing your bathroom to smell horrid.
If the floor waste does have a water seal, it can sometimes emit an odour due to sediment and bacteria that sit at the bottom of the trap. Shampoos, soaps, hair and bodily fluids can congeal at the bottom of the waste, and when they accumulate, they will emit a smell.
You can use drain-cleaning solutions to remove this sludge from the bottom of the trap.