It can be frustrating to clean your bathroom and still have foul odors. Waking up or coming home to a foul bathroom odor is unpleasant. When the smells linger, it can be incredibly embarrassing when you have guests. According to (ATSDR), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, nasty bathroom odors can also cause health problems.
Fortunately, there are practical solutions to smelly bathrooms and toilets. This article offers an in-depth understanding of the causes of toilet odors and how to fix them. Are you looking for plumbers in Detroit? Contact WaterWork plumbing professionals for a quick response today.
5 Causes of Bathroom Odors
Regardless of how clean you keep your bathroom, it’s possible to experience foul odors. The causes of smelly bathrooms range from plumbing to a lack of ventilation. Your tub, shower, or toilet may also have trapped waste that may cause a foul smell.
Understanding the causes of toilet and bathroom odor is essential to maintaining a fresh environment. The following are possible reasons why you may have toilet odors.
Poor Ventilation
Ventilation may not be a plumbing problem, but it is vital to eliminating bathroom odor. Showers cause moist air, which over time, causes mold growth. The humid environment, a mold and mildew breeding ground, produces a musty smell.
Dry Water Traps
Did you know that most drains have water traps that prevent sewer smells in the house? Beneath your tub or drains lies a water trap that controls gas emissions. The water trap is called a P-trap, which is U-shaped and contains water that prevents sewer smells.
However, infrequent use of the drain and extreme temperatures cause the water to dry up. When the water evaporates, it causes foul toilet odors.
Missing Vent Pipes
Are you constantly noticing a sewer smell in your bathroom? Consider having professional plumbers check the vent pipes. Perhaps your drain is missing a vent pipe or was improperly installed due to a plumbing error. Vent pipes are essential to ensuring an odor-free bathroom by releasing sewer gases to the outside of the home.
Clogged Drains and Pipes
Clogged drains are common and a significant cause of smelly bathrooms. Waste from soap, toothpaste, hair, and other debris may accumulate in the pipes and cause a blockage. The accumulation results in the proliferation of odor-causing bacteria that cause the nasty smell in the bathroom.
Compromised Sewer Line
A compromised sewer line is a nightmare for most homeowners. This is because the impact is felt in multiple parts of the home. A compromised sewer line is a significant concern and requires urgent professional plumbing services. Old, cracked, burst, or tree root-damaged sewer pipes cannot function optimally. Thus, they cause odors and problems like leaks and pest infestations.
5 Effective Ways to Eliminate Foul Bathroom Odors
Bathroom odors may be a common problem, but it doesn’t have to be the norm. The bathroom is one of the smallest rooms in the home, but it can take a lot of work to keep clean and fresh.
However, keeping your bathroom smelling fresh will be easy if you adopt simple hygiene habits and hacks. From deep and routine cleaning to ventilating to using air fresheners. Learn the solutions to a stinky bathroom in the tips below.
Keep a Regular Cleaning Routine
Regularly cleaning your toilet is paramount in preventing foul odors. Remember, some dirt may be invisible to the eye but cause your bathroom to stink when left for a long time. Dirt is also a breeding ground for bacteria, which may cause nasty smells.
Use antibacterial detergents to scrub your toilet to eliminate any microorganisms. Pay close attention to places where dirt may be trapped and where there’s moisture build-up. Towels and mats can also encourage mold growth due to dampness, so ensure you clean them regularly.
Deep clean the floors, as they absorb urine and other fluids and cause a stench. Additionally, unclog any drains as soon as you notice a blockage.
Allow for Ventilation
All bathrooms need ventilation as it is one of the primary steps to a fresh smell. Install more windows for aeration and to get rid of moisture. Always keep the windows cracked or opened several times to avoid foul odors. Additionally, ensure that your exhaust fan is functional to increase airflow and prevent odors.
A well-functional fan helps neutralize bathroom odors by keeping fresh air in and foul odors out. The fan also keeps moisture from the showers away and prevents mold growth. Air purifiers also come in handy for keeping your bathroom smelling fresh. They purify the air by eliminating mold spores, allergens, bacteria, dust, and dander.
Routine Sewer Line Maintenance
It is crucial to have experts routinely check your sewer line. This will prevent bathroom odors and problems like clogs and leaks. Sewer pipes can get clogged or have root intrusions, which may cause massive disasters.
Your plumber checks for and fixes any blockages and build-up that may restrict waste flow. On the other hand, unmaintained sewer lines are a breeding ground for mold and odor-causing bacteria. Neglected sewer lines may have sewage backups that allow for the emission of sewer gases, giving your bathroom foul odors.
Keep Air Fresheners in the Bathroom
Keeping air fresheners in your bathroom will help reduce foul odors and avoid embarrassment after toilet use. Use diffusers to release fresh scents into the air and keep your bathroom smelling amazing.
You can also use scented candles with floral fragrances. You will love the scent of the candles and the relaxing feeling they create. But if you prefer natural scents, you can keep scented plants like lavender and mint in your bathroom.
Take Out Trash
If you follow all the above steps and your bathroom still smells nasty, remove the trash. Please don’t wait until your trash can fills up to empty it. An accumulation of sanitary waste in the bin can cause toilet odor.
You can try the hack of pouring a few drops of essential oil in the bin to mask the foul odor. Also, you can sprinkle baking soda in the trash can for the same effect.
Key Take Away
Cleanliness and maintenance are the keys to removing bad bathroom odor. A foul odor is not only unpleasant; it can also cause sickness. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the causes and the solutions.
While foul bathroom odor can be caused by poor hygiene, the worst culprit is plumbing problems. From damaged sewer lines to improperly installed ones, it is evident that maintenance is crucial to preventing odors and other issues.
If you are looking for plumbers in Detroit, look no further than WaterWork Plumbing. We are accredited and offer 24-hour emergency services for all your plumbing needs.
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