Our smell when shower is running or bath emptying?

[JustBeingJobless]

The last week, there has been a foul smell whenever any water goes down the bath plug hole. Bathroom suite was fitted 3.5yrs ago, brand new pipe work fitted identical to the old configuration. I’ve tried putting bleach down, and it goes away for about 24 hours then comes back. I can’t access the underneath of the bath at the minute (disabled and just not flexible enough!) and really, really can’t afford to get a plumber in until after Christmas.

Is there anything I can put down the plug to help? Water is emptying at normal speed, so I’m assuming there is no major blockages, it’s just the smell when water is running down it.

How old is the house?

Does the soil pipe run down the outside wall of the house, or boxed in to a duct in the corner of the bathroom and the kitchen beneath? Can you see the top of it?

What manhole/drain covers have you got?

House is 1940’s ex council. Soil pipe runs down outside of the house and yes can see the top of it. There’s a metal manhole cover about 4ft away from where the soil pipe hits the ground.

I sometimes get this but mostly in summer. I just chuck half a bottle of bleach down the plug hole.

bath wastes might have a hair or soap clog, especially if you use oily or greasy skin or bath products. Washing Soda Crystals, spooned into the plug hole and overflow, and moisten with a cup of boiling water last thing at night (so they have time to act) then washed away with a kettle of hot water in the morning, will help. The problem might be in your basin waste, so treat that too, but use hot water, not boiling.

Sometimes when replacement bathrooms are fitted the pipes are given insufficient downhill flow.

Presumably this is not a downstairs bathroom, so if there was a leak you would see stains on the ceiling.
The clog might be in your waste or soil pipe.

It might be interesting to lever up the inspection lid with a spade to check it is running free.

No it’s an upstairs bathroom. When the bathroom was refitted, there was a very small leak and it came straight through the ceiling in the hall, so I’m fairly confident there’s no leaks. I’ll try soda crystals and boiling water as I have some of those. Thank you.

We had this problem at our last house which was a rental, and the landlord refused to do anything. Someone recommended One Shot to me, that stuff was like a miracle. I couldn't get it locally so ordered it from Amazon, I think it was about 7 quid for a litre bottle, which will last you for several applications.

You pour a small amount in all the plugholes, wait 5 mins then flush it away. If your drains have nasties in (ours did) then as you pour it in it will fizz loudly and the most foul smell will come up...... but then when you've washed it away there's no smell.

Might at least be worth a try...... good luck!