I have a bad smell underneath my bathroom sink...?

Question

I took everything out and it's still there. Smells like something rotting, I live in a condo. Any ideas what it is, and what I can do to get rid of it.

Answer 1

Squirt some vinegar or some bathroom cleaner down there and wait for about 15-20 minutes. After, rinse it and the smell should be gone.

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An overflow is cast into a bathroom sink near the rim. If the sink is overfilled, water drains through the overflow hole(s), through a small passageway, and into the trap. Smelly, sludge-like material can build up in the passageway.

You can clean away this sludge. Mix a strong solution of detergent and very hot water. Pour it down the overflow. If the smell persists, try a mixture of laundry bleach and water followed by thorough rinsing with water. If you can see sludge, loosen it with a stiff brush and rinse it away.

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Sewer smell in home

When you detect a sewer smell in your home, there may be a dry trap in the drainage system. Often the smell comes from a floor drain in the basement.

All drains to a sewer system have a "P" shaped trap which is usually filled with water. The trap provides a seal to keep out sewer gas. If your basement floor drain is rarely used, water evaporates from the trap over time. Eventually the seal is eliminated, allowing sewer gas (and smell) into your house. The solution is easy: pour water into the drain.

If the smell is noticeable mainly around a sink, try flushing a strong cleaner and bleach down the sink's overflow-the small hole(s) inside the bowl near the rim. When the sink fills to near overflowing, water is routed through an inner chamber to the drain. Debris can collect inside the inner chamber, causing odor.

If neither of these measures solves the problem, there may be a small leak in one of the vent lines of the plumbing system, or a small leak around the base of a toilet or other fixture. You may need the help of a plumber. Check for loose fittings, corrosion, or holes in vent piping. Also, check the top side of horizontal drain pipes. If the top is rusted, it may never leak liquid, but it will leak sewer gas. Drain lines made of copper, steel or cast iron may all exhibit this problem.

Answer 2

Maybe your sink is leaking and the smell is coming from mildew. Clean it with some bleach and warm water to kill some germs.

Answer 3

Is it backed up? Something could be inside the pipes rotting... You could either call your sup. Or you could use a wide variety of liquid plumbers...

I typically pour a lot of bleach and snake my pipes in this case....

Answer 4

probably a water leak that is causing mold or mildew. call a plumber to come check it out.

Answer 5

Is/was it leaking? That may be why. Use some strong citrus cleaner and scrub.

Answer 6

It's a monster living in your drain. Move...Move far away

Answer 7

Dead rat or mouse under cabinet flooring.

Answer 8

seriously.. my hubby's a plumber and he says your "P" trap is leaking... he said that's really what it's called and it needs to be replaced

Answer 9

Maybe you have mold or mildew

Answer 10

probably some vermin that got trapped and died.