What IS that smell? You look around your lovely bathroom trying to determine the origin of the unpleasant odor. Sometimes the source of these odors is easily found, but other times it takes a little investigation. Yes, you have unfortunately become the Sherlock Holmes of bathroom smells. This article is going to look at 5 stinky bathroom smells and how to resolve them. If you are reading this and thinking, “I have been wondering about that strange smell in my bathroom,” then this article is for you!
Your bathroom may stink for any of the following 5 reasons or a combination of these reasons: mildew in the sink (faucet and stopper), sulfur in the water, mustiness from being damp, mildew in the walls from broken plumbing, or a broken toilet seal. Each issue has a solution. Your bathroom doesn’t have to stink!
The bathroom is a room of many purposes. You use it to clean yourself, do your hair (if you have it), put on your makeup (if you wear it), and do your (ahem…) business. Because of its multipurpose use, it can be the den of some interesting smells. This article is going to explore 5 stinky bathroom smells and let you know how to get rid of them!
#1 SINK SMELLS FUNNY
You are probably thinking that you would notice mildew in a white sink. However, mildew is sneaky and likes to hide. And, it loves damp places. Lean down and sniff your faucet. Does it smell funky? If you have ever leaned down to get a sip of water from your bathroom faucet to swallow a pill or rinse your mouth, you may have noticed an odd smell. Simply grab a rag, a wet paper towel, or a Magic Eraser and swipe the faucet where the water comes out, but don’t have the water on when you do it. Did black gunk come off? Hello, mildew. Other places in your sink that it likes to hide are on the rubber underside of the “stopper” and down the drain on the drain tailpiece, that long plastic piece attached to the “stopper” in your sink. It wipes off easily. Magic Erasers are awesome for bathroom cleaning.
#2 WATER SMELLS LIKE SULFUR
Does your water smell like rotten eggs? Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about that. It is simply the chemical makeup of the water. It is caused by hydrogen sulfide which comes from sulfur bacteria. You can possibly reduce the sulfur from your water with a whole-house water filter. If you can’t afford that, then you could try placing individual water filters on your faucets.
#3 BATHROOM SMELLS MUSTY
Your bathroom just doesn’t smell fresh, but you aren’t sure why. There are a couple of things that can cause that musty smell. Your bathroom is a damp place. It needs time to dry out. Be sure to leave your bathroom door open after showering so that everything can dry out. Opening a window can help expedite that process.
Another culprit could be your shower curtain if you have one. If you have a cloth shower curtain, it may need to be washed. Even if you have a liner, the shower curtain should still get washed. If your liner is cloth, then it will need washing too. The odor this causes could be musty, but it also could produce other strange odors. If your bathroom smells sour or like onions, the shower liner and/or curtain is likely the source.
Look up! We aren’t trying to encourage you. We mean literally look up. How often do you look at your ceiling? In a damp bathroom, mildew will often show up on the ceiling. Some people may panic and think they have a roof leak. Grab that Magic Eraser again and swipe your ceiling. We bet it comes right off.
#4 BATHROOM SMELLS LIKE MILDEW
Mildew has a pretty distinct smell. If your bathroom smells like mildew and there is none visible anywhere, you may have a plumbing leak in your walls causing mildew to grow inside the walls. This can, of course, lead to serious mold issues. If you suspect you have a leak, give us a call at Sun Plumbing. We offer leak detection services. If cracked or broken plumbing is the cause, then we can fix it for you!
#5 BATHROOM SMELLS LIKE SEWER
A sewer-like smell in your bathroom can occur when you have a broken toilet seal or when the toilet was never sealed properly. This is an easy fix for Sun Plumbing. We will be happy to properly seal your toilet, returning your bathroom to a non-stinky room!
IN CONCLUSION
It’s no surprise that your bathroom can produce some strange smells. Now you know the reasons behind some of those smells and how you can eliminate them! Most importantly, if a plumbing leak is the issue, then that is a serious problem that needs immediate attention. Sun Plumbing has been serving the Melbourne, FL area for over 45 years! No plumbing problem is too big or too small, so if you need a plumber, please give us a call today!
