Oh my! A stinky toilet, this is definitely up there with the most embarrassing plumbing problems. It is quite humiliating to have a bad odor consistently in your toilet as it not only makes using the loo an unpleasant experience but also portrays a picture that you are unhygienic. While in fact, you may be putting in all the effort in the world to eliminate the bad smell; from using battery- powered brushes to regular hand scrubbing with detergents. But unfortunately, the bad odor comes back eventually.
Well, we all know what causes bad odor when a toilet is in use. Don’t worry we will not focus on that today. However, if the bad smell is recurrent even when the toilet remains unused or after flushing a couple of times then the cause of the bad odor is most certainly one of those we have touched on in this article.
Lucky for you, a number of causes of bad odor in a toilet is easy to identify and avoid.
Here’s how to go about it;
1.Ensure proper ventilation
Bad odor in the toilet forms when bad stale air is trapped in the washroom. It therefore goes without saying that having fresh air circulating in the washroom eliminates the possibility of bad odor in there.
For starters to ensure proper ventilation you should open all the windows in the washroom to allow inflow of fresh natural air. Additionally, you should install electric fans and air circulators to improve ventilation if natural air from the windows is still insufficient to eliminate the bad smell.
2.Keep dump cloths/towels away.
Not known to many damp cloths and towels play a major role in making the washroom stinky. They do so by giving off a mold musty smell. Furthermore, damp cloths are a perfect breeding spot for bacteria and germs which give off an unpleasant bad smell
With that in mind, always ensure you dry off wet clothes and towels in the sun before storing them in the washroom and you will reduce the chances of having a stinky washroom.
3.Regularly clean the toilet bowl
Cleaning the toilet bowl regularly is a no- brainer. This is because the bowl is where all the waste is held before flushing. Based on that, the toilet bowl is prone to staining and lime-scale building up which in turn causes stinking problems.
When cleaning the toilet, we found simply flushing the toilet after use to be inadequate in preventing stinking problems. That said, you need to scrub the toilet bowl with toilet cleaners to prevent bacteria and lime scale build up. Furthermore doing it as often as possible will ensure there is less time for mold and bacteria to build up
4.Close the lid when flushing
Although not visible to the naked eye, when you flush the toilet the gushing force spreads droplets of germs all around the washroom. Once germs pile up in the washroom it starts stinking.
In this case, the best way to avoid spreading germs across the washroom is to always flush with the lid down. In addition remember to also clean the lid regularly to prevent germs build up.
5.Use professional scenting options
One of the simplest yet most effective means of preventing bad odor in the washroom is using professional scenting options. For instance, lighting scented candles and an air freshener after using the washroom ensures the washroom remains fresh.
6.Periodically replace wax seal ring
The toilet wax seal sits below the toilet bowl and acts as a seal to prevent sewer gases from leaking into the toilet. It is quite common for the wax seal to be loose over time, therefore, allowing sewer gases to seep through the cracks into the washroom.
As a precaution to having a faulty wax seal, you should schedule a replacement of the wax seal ring, therefore ensuring it is always in the best state to seal off sewer gases.
7.Clear plumbing vent pipe
The plumbing vent pipe is the pipe connected to the plumbing system and extends to the roof of the house. It’s installed to ventilate sewer gases.
However, due to its location, the plumbing vent pipe is prone to blockages caused by leaves or a bird’s nest. When clogged sewer gasses are trapped in your bathroom hence making it stink.
To prevent stinking caused by a clogged plumbing vent pipe you should check and clean the vent pipe regularly.
8.Flush unused toilets
If you have a toilet that’s not frequently in use, we advise you to flush it regularly to prevent it from stinking.
Why? You might ask.
Toilets hold water in the p trap to seal off sewer gases. So naturally when a toilet is not used for long a period of time the water in the p trap evaporates therefore allowing sewer gases to sip in and fill the bathroom. As a countermeasure, you need to flush the toilet regularly to ensure the p trap is always filled with the required amount of water to seal off sewer gases.
9.Regularly check and clear clogs in the drain
A clog in the drain, especially if it is human waste or organic matter spells trouble. If left unattended it leads to a bad odor in the toilet.
A toilet bowl emptying out slower than normal is a sign that the drain is clogged. On the flip side clogs sometimes go unnoticed because the toilet still flushes well. You therefore, need to regularly use an auger or drain snake to clear out undetectable clogs in the drain which may cause a bad odor.
Conclusion
After going through this article we hope you can clear out the air, literally, and avoid toilet stinking problems. Since a fresh smelling washroom not only creates a nice space to take a break from the rest of the world but also makes using the washroom an enjoyable experience. Additionally, a fresh smelling washroom creates a relaxed ambience to come up with new business or general life ideas.
