The smell from sewage can come from anywhere and it can create a stench that makes your whole home smell like, well, a sewer. This could be caused from many things. Maybe you recently had a sewage spill and got some into the carpet while cleaning up the mess. Maybe there was a clogged pipe in your home. If it happens to be a clogged pipe, then it could be emitting methane gas which is bad for your health. This could cause headaches and lead to more deadly sicknesses if not addressed. Methane gas build ups could even cause explosions, so don’t ignore the smell of sewage in your home. Whether you know where the smell is coming from or not, this article will help you identify where it is coming from, and it’ll teach you how to get rid of the sewage smell.
Finding The Cause Of The Raw Sewage Smell
First you have to find the source from the smell. It could come from a multitude of places including guest bathrooms, clogged pipes, garbage disposals, and furniture or carpets. If your home has no guest rooms, then you can cross it off your list of likely place. If you haven’t had a sewage spill recently then you can cross that off the list as well. When the two of those are off your list go to each of the other places and perform a smell test. It should only take a small sniff to have a grasp of which of the areas are the culprits for the foul smell. If somehow the smell is so overpowering that you can’t find the source, then you can either perform all of the DIY techniques on all locations, or call a plumber.
Guest Tubs And Sinks
Guest bathrooms that are barely used could be the cause of the sewage gas. The P-trap, which could be under either the tub or sink or both, usually has water in it to stop sewage gas from entering your home. A P-trap that is barely used though could have its water evaporated by not being used enough. Every week or two, run water down the drain of the tub or sink to make sure the P-trap is filled.
Clogged Pipes
A clogged pipe could also be the source of the foul smells. Run water down the drain to see how long it takes to flow down. If there’s a buildup of water, then it’s likely that there is a clog in the pipe. You can clean the drain out with any drain cleaner or you can use the household items to clean the drain. Put 1/4 baking soda into the drain and then a cup of vinegar. Wait two hours before pouring a gallon of water down the drain. After that pour in 1/2 a cup of chlorine. After two hours, pour hot water down the drain. Your drain is now clean. Be sure not to follow the vinegar directly with chlorine because it can create chlorine gas.
Garbage Disposal
An unclean garbage disposal may not smell exactly like sewage, but one that hasn’t been cleaned properly in a long time can end up smelling like one. Food can get stuck on the walls of the garbage disposal causing bacteria to breed. The safest and one of the most cost-effective ways to clean the garbage disposal only requires ice, bleach, and dish washing liquid. First, plug the sink and fill it with enough ice to cover the sink in about one and a half layers. Then, fill it with cold water and dishwashing liquid until the suds are high. Unplug the sink and turn on the garbage disposal. The ice will go into the disposal and get chopped up, sending ice flying into the food stuck to the walls, thus shredding it so that it can flow down the drain. Pour a cup of bleach down the sink, after turning off the disposal, and let it sit for a minimum of ten minutes. Wash out the bleach, and then you’re done.
Cleaning Up After A Raw Sewage Spill /On Furniture Or In Carpet
If you’ve had a sewage spill and it got on your carpet or furniture then the best way to get rid of it is to replace it. You can try clearing the smell up with a DIY guide, but the risk of contamination is too high to recommend. It’s like when you spill sewage on wood. The wood sucks the bacteria in deep, and it’s near impossible to clean completely.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has been helpful in helping you figure out how to get rid of the smell of raw sewage. If the smell persists after attempting the cleaning techniques in this article, then call a plumber.
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