How to get rid of that sewage smell?

[Jessika]

We have a laundry room in our own condo.

I've read about (but have not yet tried) the baking soda + vinegar... just done straight vinegar with plenty of HOT water... the smell is still gone today (dumped a few gallons of water down it yesterday) but lately it will go away for ~3-4 days and come back again. If we keep the laundry room door closed and walk in there it hits you like a brick wall... blahhhhhhh

Thanks, I'll probably end up contacting our landlord about this

[RICHARD]

Bleach.

And hot water.

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There used to be a product called Clear all or Kleer All that was a sulphuric acid drain cleaner- that stuff was really potent. I looked it up, but don't see it as being sold anymore?

If it does smell like rotting plant material, it probably is roots in the line.

Good luck

[beeniesmom]

Maybe bleach? I don't know. The baking soda and vinegar sounds good. Let us know what works.

[Husky_mom]

first of all.. wow.. hadn't seen you in quite some time!!

second, I too have that problem.. and it's because the respirator pipe is either too high or too low (can remember :P ).. but to get rid of the smell.. just make sure that the pipes always have water in them.. like in the sink that the bottom U shaped part has water, that way smell can't come through it

[pomtzu]

Household bleach isn't very strong and won't do much good, except for a couple of days maybe. Try this - it always worked for me with clogged or slow drains. Buy a small container of swimming pool chlorine powder and mix some (a strong concentration) with water. Don't inhale it - it will burn!!!!! Pour hot water in the drain and then follow with the chlorine mix, and don't flush the chlorine thru right away. Let it sit about a half hour or more, and then flush with more hot water. That will eat thru just about anything that is sitting and stagnating and giving off that foul odor. If that doesn't work (you might need a couple of applications), then I suspect that Roto Rooter is the only answer.

[Jessika]

I've read that the "U" pipe (or whatever letter it says it's supposed to look like, haha) can dry out and cause gas to leak up from the sewers; however, we have poured GALLONS of water/vinegar/soap (etc) into the pipes quite a few times... it may fix the problem for a few days but it always comes back. In the past when we'd dump a few gallons down, it was gone for months. But lately it keeps coming back just a few days after we try it.

We have contacted our landlord and left her a message... so, waiting to hear back (seems we leave her a lot of messages about things... ugh).

first of all.. wow.. hadn't seen you in quite some time!!

Yes it has been a few years!!!!

[Lady's Human]

Being that it's a rental property, I wouldn't use anything harsh without the landlord's approval IN WRITING.

Using harsh chemicals in old plumbing can actually cause severe damage.

[RICHARD]

So, what was the outcome?

I have been waiting!