Back with Bec from The Plumbette this week, last time Bec hosted Nuts and Bolts, we discussed where to buy cheap plumbing fixtures. This session, Bec is looking at reasons why your bathroom may have a funky smell.

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Why does my bathroom have a funky smell?
Bathrooms are notorious for smells. They can be good or bad. Good smells are the fragrances of shower gels, lotions and deodorant. The bad smells can range from a nasty number 2 to sometimes a more underlying issue to do with the plumbing of the bathroom.
One of the biggest complaints of smells in the bathroom are generally blamed on the floor waste. The floor waste is the grated drain in the middle of the floor or in front of the basin that holds a trap of water which seals sewer gases from escaping the pipes. If the floor waste loses it’s water seal, raw sewer smell can come through the floor waste and make your bathroom stink. It’s important to always maintain that water seal by using all the fixtures in the bathroom and allowing the water go down the drain.
If there is a water seal on the floor waste, and a smell still comes up, often this is caused by bacteria and sediment that sits at the bottom of the pipe trap and emits a smell. Ways to get rid of this is pouring a chemical called Mo-flo down the floor waste which eats away the hair and soap sediment rotting in the bottom of the trap, alternatively you can get a jet rodder machine to give the trap bottom a good flush. The best way, is installing an Ezydrain fitting which seals the drain smell out of the bathroom. You can read a review about Ezydrain on my blog here.
After you’ve eliminated the smell from the floor waste and shower waste (make sure there is a water seal in the shower waste too) other areas to check include:
• The Toilet pan collar – which is the rubber fitting that the toilet pan fits into. Sometimes the rubber perishes over time and allows sewer smells through. This can be easily replaced or sealed using silicone.
• Mould or mildew on the walls or ceiling. To prevent mould and mildrew, always have a ventilating fan on while having a shower. Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oils are natural ways to remove mould and mildew in the bathroom.
If you have a bad smell problem in your bathroom, it’s best to do some investigation work yourself first before calling a plumber, simply because you’re paying a plumber to do something you could do yourself. If you still find your bathroom smells bad, call a plumber. It’s good to have a drainage plan on hand to show the plumber so they can check the vents are installed where they should be.
Ever had a bathroom that had smelly drains?

Do you have a question you would like to ask Bec, our resident Builder’s Wife Plumber? Bec is happy to answer all questions on her Twitter and Facebook page, and she will then choose one to answer more comprehensively in a blog post here each month.

Nicole xxx

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