If you know how rotten eggs smell, then you know it’s one heck of a stinky stench. What more if you notice this kind of smell in your bathroom. No, it’s not the eggs’ fault – it’s most likely caused by sulfur or hydrogen sulfide gas!
If you notice this kind of offending smell in your bathroom, you should do something about it. Using an air freshener is not enough – you might have to call a professional plumber to help you get rid of the strong sulfur smell.
What causes the rotten egg smell in the bathroom?
Sewer gas, which is toxic to humans, is composed of methane and hydrogen sulfide. The former is odorless, while the latter emits that annoying rotten egg smell. Hydrogen sulfide results from the decomposition of organic matter from sewage. Aside from these two, carbon dioxide and ammonia also exist in the mix.
If you notice that your toilet or bathroom smells like rotten eggs/sewage, there are three possible reasons behind that.
- Clogged drain or toilet that is causing the smell to spread in the bathroom
- Your toilet has not been used for some time, causing the water in the pipe to dry up. This causes the sewer gas to rise into the toilet and the smell to spread in the room. Rust stains in a toilet are tell-tale signs of a “dry trap.”
- A broken vent pipe or drain line could be a serious issue that should not be left ignored. Not only will it affect your bathroom but also your whole house.
The smell of sulfur may not be as hazardous as long as the scent itself is faint or just caught a whiff of it. But if it is too strong, it hurts your nose, and you are exposed for too long. That is when it becomes dangerous, especially in enclosed spaces.
How to detect where the bad smell is coming from
At first, it could be challenging to identify where the sulfur smell is coming from. To determine the exact location, you can check if the odor is coming from the water or the drains.
- Get a water sample from the drain or other suspected areas you think the smell is coming from.
- Get a different sample from another faucet in your house.
- Take the water samples outside to smell.
- If both water samples smell bad, it means there are bacteria in your water.
- If only one sample smells unpleasant, one of the pipes or drains is likely the problem.
If the smell comes from contaminated water, you might need to replace the anode rod with aluminum. Then, disinfect the water using hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach.
If the smell is coming from a contaminated drain, you have to disinfect the pipes. Pour a half cup of bleach down the drain. Or, if you don’t want to use bleach, pour half a cup of baking soda and then a cup of vinegar in the drain.
If the smell persists, better to call a professional plumber in Franklin, TN, to help you out.
