How to Get Rid of Sewer Smells

Stopping the Smell

• 1

  Consider that the nasty sewer smell in your home may be the result of the water seal breaking in your toilet. When the smell is emanating from your toilet this may also be the result of damp or rotted wood or an air leak at the wax ring or in the vent pipe. Look and see if the toilet is tightly sealed at the floor. If the toilet rocks this means the wax ring has failed and needs to be replaced.

• 2

  Recognize that the sewer smell may be coming from a dry trap in the drainage system from a floor drain in the basement. If the seal on the system is broken or gone this allows sewer gas into your home. Pour water into the drain and see if this helps eliminate the smell.

• 3

  Repair cracks in the vent pipes or plumbing drain lines because this can be a source of sewer gas leaks.

• 4

  Pour some commercial cleaner down your drain if you smell a sewer odor coming from the sink. If this doesn't work, you may need to enlist the help of a plumber. Pour a mixture of vinegar and baking soda into your toilet and see if that eliminates the sewer smell.

• 5

  Fill fixture traps or floor drains that are not used regularly with four ounces of mineral oil. The mineral oil evaporates slower than water and will keep the trap or drain wet for months, which should eliminate some of the sewer smell.