What Causes Bad Odors in Your Bathroom and How to Eliminate Them by Ron Wolf

Photo by Sidekix Media on Unsplash

Has your bathroom been smelling funny recently? There is a number of reasons for this, as there are countless possible sources, from the bathtub/shower drain to mucky walls and floor tiles. Even after you located the source of the bad odor, you still have to eliminate them efficiently, so they don’t reoccur.

Be careful how you hang towels

A dirty or a damp towel is seldom blamed as the source of a bad odor. However, if you stack towels that aren’t completely dry on one another, it won’t be long before they start to reek. The bacteria and fungi are the sources of this smell, as there is no air to dry the towels. The same biological process occurs when the towels are super dirty.
It is essential that the towel hanger in your bathroom allows air to circulate around the entire surface of the towel. Spread out the towel as much as possible and install a towel warmer behind the door to speed up the drying process in winter.

Good air ventilation is essential

In order to dry anything, you need fresh air to circulate through the room. On the other side, poor indoor air quality can lead to various health conditions, from irritation of the eyes to cancer. That’s why it’s essential that the bathroom is well ventilated and that fresh air is constantly pumped in.

The easiest way to achieve this is to open the window but not all bathrooms have windows. Architects are often forced to sacrifice natural light for design reasons. In these bathrooms, ventilator fans mounted on the wall pump in the fresh air inside and circulate it through the bathroom.

However, these ducts need constant cleaning if you want them to efficiently remove bad odors and humidity. The latter is especially problematic as the vapor generated by a simple bath or a shower needs to go somewhere unless you want the bathroom to smell musty.

Hitting the refresh button

Regardless of the source, dealing with strong odors requires “heavy artillery” in the form of air fresheners. Although they are practical to use, conventional fresheners are potent chemical compounds, so you should opt for natural alternatives.

Throwing lemon or orange peel in the trashcan after using the bathroom will help eliminate the smell. Another solution is to leave a spray bottle near the toilet for guests to use.

Empty the trash can often

Keeping a small trash can in the corner of the bathroom is useful, as you don’t want to leave a steamy bathroom in winter to throw away a single cotton bud for ears. However, all the tampons and handkerchief can be considered medical waste, so you should empty the trash as often as possible. Leave inside a small bin for a while and this organic waste will start to reek.

Can the washing machine pose a problem?

Just like the towels, the washing machine is among the last places people think the nasty odor is coming from. However, if a filter gets clogged, then a foul odor starts to spread, little by little. That’s why lint filters are among the most popular washing machine parts among homeowners.
Another issue with the washing machine involves your actions after the washing cycle is over. Once you take the laundry out, don’t close the door but leave it wide open, letting the drum inside dry out naturally. Also, run the drum clean cycle at least once every two months and add baking soda and lemon juice instead of the detergent.

Photo by House Method

Regular cleaning sprees

The more people live in a single household, the faster will the bathroom get soiled. From a smeared mirror to a dirty sink, the bathroom needs to be cleaned regularly. The fact there is more than one person living in your house is a good thing, as you can establish a cleaning schedule. The alternative is to divide duties, so dad can be in charge of scrubbing tiles, while mum can polish the faucets.

The bathtub/shower drain

The likeliest culprit for the foul stench in your bathroom are the drains. Whether it’s the sink, the bathtub, or the shower drain, the pipes are probably clogged in someplace, so you need to disassemble them and give the pipes a proper rinsing. Detach the handle and use the shower hose as a power washer to rinse

If you’re not savvy with bolts and valves, you can always call a professional plumber. They will advise you to purchase a drain cleaner in the form of granules that unclogs the drain after 15 minutes. However, this chemical is highly toxic and can burn your skin, so make sure you read the manual twice before applying it.

Scented candles

We’ve discussed earlier the use of air fresheners but there is another way to combat foul smells. Namely, heat combine with smoke is ideal for neutralizing bad odors. Every person who went camping knows that a bonfire is lit to drive away flying pests, such as mosquitoes.

We recommend the use of scented candles as they are an ideal aromatherapy addition to a bubble bath. However, unscented candles as just as efficient when it comes to combating nasty odors. Apart from the fragrance, colorful candles are ideal décor pieces they will make your bathroom comfortable and smelling great.

Just like with drain cleaners, you need to be careful around candles as they are a fire hazard. To be on the safe side, snuff the candles after you’re done using the bathroom.

As you have seen from the examples listed above, there are several sources of bad odors in your bathroom. Luckily, there is a solution to every foul stench, from the washing machine to the drain in the sink.

Photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash