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Original poster

Bathroom stench

13 replies

Miniestelle · 13/08/2021 15:33

Hello this is really boring and a bit rank.

I have lived in our apartment for 3 years. It is a new build. Maybe 10 years old. It has 3 stories. We live in the middle story. Up two short flights of stairs. It has two bathrooms. 1 main and one ensuite.

I've got a bit of a problem with the flat. There's a foul smell of drains coming from the main bathroom. It comes and it goes. When it is here it is foul. It started when the weather went really warm. Eased off the week it cooled off down and now it's back. But I would say it stinks 70% of the time.

Since it began I have tried tablet things in the cistern, cleaned both the bath and sink plug holes with Mr muscle foaming drain cleaner twice. And bought some extra powerful toilet pipe stuff that foams up. I have treated the toilet twice with it.

I have also scrubbed the whole bathroom with bleach and water. It goes but then it's back intermittently. Does this happen in flats? I haven't reported it to the landlord yet because I'm a bit embarrassed. The landlord is a management agency for the full building and are great but im still concerned its our fault. My daughter and I have done a reccy and we think it might be coming from a small gap in the wall where the big toilet pipe is plumbed through the wall. There is a small 2cm gap between the pipe and the tiles on the wall. But it's tiny. Could this gap be able to send up this Stench? Its not in the ensuite bathroom and has never happened before. It just suddenly appeared one day. Ive ordered some foam filler shall i try to fill the gap? I guess im asking could it be the building? The toilet isn't blocked. It's a really quiet building, everyone is friendly but most people are at work so you don't see anyone really. I don't mind knocking and asking neighbours but I'm a bit put off in case they say no it must just be you. You stinky mess kinda thing.

OP posts:
Breathmiller · 13/08/2021 15:36

We had this in a flat we moved into. It turned out that there wasn't a lid on a pipe that went down to the sewage outlet or something (sorry to be vague, it was a long time ago) .
So everytime someone in the building flushed their loo it would send a waft up the pipe. It explained why it was sometimes and not all the time.

A plumber fitted a simple lid on the pipe and it stopped it.

LaBellina · 13/08/2021 15:37

I would also say a lid.

Or perhaps one of your neighbors died….

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 13/08/2021 15:38

It could be that gap, your extractor fan creates a sort of vaccum in your bathroom and air will come in from easiest route. Could be from under the door (good), could be from that gap (bad).

2cm is a big gap, the soil pipe often has a large rubber seal around to fill this. Has yours?

Original poster
Miniestelle · 13/08/2021 15:41

@Breathmiller thank you, it's rank isn't it? It's strips the lining out your nostrils grim.

@LaBellina oh god don't say that. ShockThe gentleman that lives downstairs is very old. I might go and give him a knock.

OP posts:
LaBellina · 13/08/2021 15:44

Sorry Blush I just saw a video on Facebook about a cleaning company specialized in cleaning up murder crime scenes and such inside homes and this was my first thought when I saw your post.

Original poster
Miniestelle · 13/08/2021 15:47

This is the gap.

OP posts:
Original poster
Miniestelle · 13/08/2021 15:48

There isnt a window at all in either bathroom. Any ventilation comes from when you turn the light on and the extractor fan starts, then it stops when you turn the light off.

OP posts:
Original poster
Miniestelle · 13/08/2021 15:51

@LaBellina no worries lol, I have been thinking the same. Too many murder podcast I think. I it does smell wretched though, like death.

OP posts:
Original poster
Miniestelle · 13/08/2021 16:00

I've literally put my face into the toilet bowl and sniffed and its not coming from there.

OP posts:
Original poster
Miniestelle · 13/08/2021 16:05

Gap again. Better photo

OP posts:
Bleddyansum · 13/08/2021 16:06

Do you use the main bathroom all the time? If not it could just be as simple as the traps drying out.

NameChange74567 · 13/08/2021 16:08

We used to have this problem in a flat we rented. The landlord never done anything about it. The only thing that seemed to help was putting bleach down the sink and plug holes every few days and keeping the plugs in.

broccolibush · 13/08/2021 16:12

We’re having this problem at the moment in our en-suite in a third/top floor flat. We had a man out who stuck a camera down the loo and ascertained it wasn’t blocked but when he went up on the roof he couldn’t find the vent for the soil stack (pipe to the sewers). These need to vent to the outside otherwise you get the foul sewer gas smells in your home. Have you checked to see whether there’s a vent on the roof?

They can also have air inlet valves fitted but these need to be in large spaces so shouldn’t be positioned behind your walls.

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