Everyone wants to keep their bathroom clean, which is why people regularly scrub, deodorize, and disinfect them. People do everything they can so that their bathroom fixtures will stay clean and fresh, fit for royalties. Altogether, no one likes to use dirty and stinky toilets. But what if, even after cleaning; the bathroom still smells like poop? Is there something wrong? How can you solve this issue?
Common Causes of Poopy Smell
There are a number of reasons as to why your bathroom always smells like poop, even after all the cleaning and disinfection you did.
Drain Obstruction
One of the common reasons is drain obstacle or drain clogs. An block in the drain will often prevent water from flowing freely through the pipes. Oftentimes, the water become stuck along with other solid materials. And once these materials start to rot or decompose, it produces a poop-like smell.
Full Septic Tank
When your septic tank is full, the draining becomes slow. As such, the smell from your tank may be passing through your pipes. Nevertheless, you have no way of finding this out for yourself. Instead of trying to check your septic tank by yourself, it will be best to call in a licensed plumber or a septic pumping company.
Worn Out Wax Ring
The wax ring at the foot of the toilet could be causing the poopy smell. As time passes by, this wax ring deteriorates. Once this happens, the gas in the sewer will start to leak out from under your toilet. If you own some basic plumbing tools in your home and you can lift the toilet yourself, then you can replace the wax ring without calling out a plumber. But if you want to be free of all the hassle, of course, it is still best to leave it to the professionals.
Sewer Roof Vent Blockage
Fallen leaves, bird’s nest and frost are just a few things that could get into your sewer roof vent. And once there is a blockage in your sewer roof vent, a foul smell will start to develop. Luckily, it is easy to tell if there is something obstructing your roof vent – it drains slowly and creates a gurgling sound. Just to make sure, you can climb up your roof to check it. Then run your drain snake all the way through the vent, down to your bathroom.
Dead Animal
There are times when people think that what they smell is poop, but in reality, what they’re smelling is the rotting corpse of a dead animal that is either stuck on the walls or squished in the cabinets. So, make sure to check every corner and crevice of your home. Maybe your problem is the stench of a dead animal.
Dry P-trap
The “P-trap” of a tub or shower drain often becomes dry, especially when they are not used frequently. When people often use a bathroom, the water is able to act as a p-trap vapor seal. But if the bathroom is not used often, the water evaporates, which also allows the sewer gas to leak into the bathroom. But instead of smelling like a poop, what you actually smell is similar to a rotten egg or a sewer.
Among the common causes of foul smell in the bathroom this is probably the easiest to fix. All you have to do is to run water through the drain for a bit or use mineral oil. This will keep the p-trap moist for several months. You can also do this routinely if you are not going to use the bathroom for a long time.
Blocked Tub or Shower Drain
There are all sort of materials that can get trapped in your drain. You’ve got dirt, calcium deposits, rust, and all sorts of debris. You also have hair, soap scum and other personal hygiene particles. As these materials accumulate, they create a blockade; preventing water to pass through and producing a bad odor, although not technically poop-like, but still a foul odor. A good old drain cleaner will help unclog the drain and get rid of the foul smell. You may also try pouring hot water to get rid of the remaining particles on the wall of the pipes.
Keeping You Bathroom Smelling Fresh
After dealing with the bad smell, there are some thing you can routinely do to prevent your bathroom from smelling like poop.
Take your cleaning regimen to the new level
Instead of cleaning your bathroom once or twice a month, do it on a weekly basis. If you have many users or if there are kids, you can do it more often. Pay close attention to areas that are hard to reach and where sludge and residue from wastewater usually collects. These areas usually include the fissures under the toilet seat and under the toilet rim. You may completely remove the toilet seat so you can give it a good scrub.
Give your bathroom proper ventilation
Install a vent fan or tell everyone in your home to open the window before using the toilet for number two. If you have a fan, make sure that it is working just fine. Also make sure to clean your vent fan regularly or at least every 6 months.
Do a courtesy flush
While people flush after dropping the bomb, it would help to flush it once or twice before you finish doing your business. This will help keep the odor from wafting into the air. The less time the poop floats around the toilet bowl, the less likely for the smell to leak. Nevertheless, this is not environmentally friendly as it uses a lot of water.
Odor eliminators and essential oils
Using an odor eliminator before and after using the toilet can prevent poop smells. You can use essential oil or products with essential oils such as Air Scense and Poo-pourri. There are also some products like Just a Drop, which are made from blending disinfectants, fragrance and plant extracts. These are also effective in preventing poop smell from escaping the bowl and wafting to the air.
Light a scented candle or a match
When you light a candle, the burning match will produce sulfur dioxide which will help reduce the stench. Though it will not completely eliminate the smell, it will help mask the odor. In addition, if you use a scented candle, the smell in your bathroom will be at agreeable or even pleasant.
Remember, if you encountered any plumbing emergency such as blocked toilets, drains or if you need drain cleaning in Melbourne, contact us on 0412 738 874 or you can leave a message on our contact form.
