Smelly house ....

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

This week it has smelled like something has died in my house - it has been just horrible - I thought maybe a squirrel or something got caught in a wall and died or something. Well, today I went next door to my neighbor and he came over and looked. It was the P-trap in my downstairs bathroom. He said if you don't use the shower or sink regularly, you need to pour water down them as they dry out and start to smell. Well, not an hour later all of the bad odor in my house was GONE! My advice for all the single ladies out there! Then I remembered at my last job the restroom we used would smell just awful (again, like something had died). The landlord would have us pour water down the drain in the bathroom and the smell would dissipate.

Puppy Lips · ‎05-09-2010

Yes, the water left in the U shaped pipe in the drain keeps the smelly gases from coming back up.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead

Sassy7356 · ‎11-09-2013

@hoosieroriginal Good to know! Last time we had a super smelly house was when we found a dead mouse. Who knows how long it had been there and we have lived in this house 12+ years and never had one.

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

Thanks for the info................I almost NEVER go in my 2nd bathroom. I mean.......why would I use two of them??????

♥Surface of the Sun♥

geezerette · ‎03-16-2010

My husband just reminded me of this the other day when I was searching for an awful odor in the house. (Turns out it wasn't the plumbing.) But its always something I forget about, especially with our garden tub, which never gets used.

ID2 · ‎06-25-2012

@Desertdi wrote:
Thanks for the info................I almost NEVER go in my 2nd bathroom. I mean.......why would I use two of them??????

Periodically I use our spare bathroom just to keep things running smoothly.

"Pure Michigan"

aubnwa01 · ‎03-09-2010

I use most of the plumbing fixtures in my house pretty regularly, but I have to remind myself to run water in the other sink in my master bathroom. Living alone, I only use one of the double sinks in there & I've had an issue with a bad smell coming out of the one i don't use in the past, so I run water in it with something like Lysol & also pour some water down the vent hole or whatever it is in the sink, so that gets some water in it, too & I've never had another issue.

Also, living in the desert SW, I've heard of scorpions coming up thru drains, so they recommend pouring some bleach down your drains occasionally. In 10+ years here, i've never had a scorpion in my house & I'd like to keep it that way!

Tigriss · ‎03-12-2010

I have two bathrooms and use them both. I use whichever one is closer when I need to go. I like taking baths in the smaller one because the steam builds up better than in my master bath with the deep tub, but not long. Neither tub is long, standard one piece units, so at least having a steamy bath is a lux for me. I would love a long, cast iron tub....but that would require a wide bathroom.

geezerette · ‎03-16-2010

@aubnwa01 wrote:
I use most of the plumbing fixtures in my house pretty regularly, but I have to remind myself to run water in the other sink in my master bathroom. Living alone, I only use one of the double sinks in there & I've had an issue with a bad smell coming out of the one i don't use in the past, so I run water in it with something like Lysol & also pour some water down the vent hole or whatever it is in the sink, so that gets some water in it, too & I've never had another issue.

Also, living in the desert SW, I've heard of scorpions coming up thru drains, so they recommend pouring some bleach down your drains occasionally. In 10+ years here, i've never had a scorpion in my house & I'd like to keep it that way!

You're very lucky! When I lived out there we often would get the little buggers come in through the shower drain--yuck! Thankfully, I always managed to see them before they saw me!🦂😅