What can I use to get rid of a strong sewer smell in front of my house?

Question

I had 3 garbage cans in front of my house which I never use but some how had alot of old garbage floating in old water. Anyway I dumped out the water in this dirt patch in front of my house and now there is a sewer smell. I tried dumping bleach, & pine- sol and the smell won't go away. Is there anything I can use to dump in that dirt to get rid of the smell? It's really bad I can't even open my windows cuz the smell will get in my house! Please any suggestions??

Answer 1

Flush the area well with your garden hose. Some of the smell probably saturated the soil.

Answer 2

Are you sure it's sewer gas? If you have natural gas heating and or cooking, that might be what you are smelling. Gas companies add an odrorant to the supply to alert people to leaks, It smells pretty bad. The gas company has a leak detection service. It's usually free. Next I would start by asking if my neighbors are having the same problem. if so, something is happening in the municipal sewer system that is forcing sewer gas back into the piping and overcoming your vents and traps. If your plumbing vents are accessable, I would make sure they are open. If you are the only one in the neighborhood, then somewhere in your house is an open path to the sewer. You just haven't found it yet. It could be an abandoned pipe from an old renovation. Also check the shoe under your bathtub(s) for a separated fitting. There should be an access panel on the opposite side of the wall at the head of the tub. Don't overlook the garbage disposal, dish washer, and clothes washer discharges. All that notwithstanding, check your central heating and air conditioning system for leaks in the supply ductwork where it passes through the attic. A leak here can create a negative pressure in your house and aggrevate odor problems that otherwise you wouldn't notice.

Answer 3

Like sensible-man said - simply soaking the area thouroughly with a hose will dilute the "trash juice". You can get a quick fix by turning over the soil in the area. Dig up the top 4" or so, making a pile to the side. Continue digging another 12-18", making a seperate pile. Put the top layer of soil in the bottom of the hole, and cover with the remaining soil.

Answer 4

The smell should go away with time. However, if you can't wait, try baking soda or charcoal. Baking soda can take the smell out of stinky fridges and charcoal might be able to soak all the nasty up into itself. You might need a fairly large quantity of these materials, so it would be a good idea to find the largest amount for the lease expense.

Answer 5

jeyes fluid

Answer 6

lime, but make sure your grass can handle it

Answer 7

eww...u should move