When you turn on the bathroom sink, it should work smoothly without any issues. Water comes out of the faucet, you wash off the soap, and everything gets cleaned. Unfortunately, you might sometimes encounter problems like a bad smell when you run the water. At first, it might start as a barely traceable odour. Over time, it could escalate into a prevailing stench that overpowers your bathroom.

The last place you expect a foul odour to originate is from your bathroom sink. It’s not like the kitchen, where food debris and grease might get poured down the drain. Instead, the sink in the bathroom is often associated with scented soaps and fresh lotions. As such, it may perplex you why does the bathroom sink smell so much.

The truth is that many factors contribute to the bathroom sink smells. Understanding some of these reasons can empower you to take preventative measures. If you can’t get rid of the existing stench, call a qualified plumber to look into the problem more closely. The plumber will solve the stinky issue, and you can use the bathroom sink again without plugging your nose.

Does your bathroom sink smell when the water runs? Here are the common reasons why your bathroom sink smells like a sewer or worse:

Buildup in Bathroom Sink

Our bathroom sinks wash a lot of debris down them. While no food is involved, you still clear away toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, hair, and dead skin. Some of this matter can build up on the sides of the drain, where bacteria forms and cause an unpleasant odour. The buildup will look like slimy gunk, which becomes visible once you take out the water stopper. If you see dark material on it, your pipes probably have the same residue.

For minor issues, using vinegar or a store-bought cleaner should clear away the buildup. With the more severe buildup, you have to disconnect the pipes and manually clean them. However, it can be a messy and time-consuming task. Homeowners are recommended to contact a local Oshawa plumber for the job instead.

Clogged Bathroom Sink

As buildups occur, they can quickly become clogs. You may accidentally drop something down the drain that wedges in between the pipes. As other matter gets washed down, it catches and builds up to form a blockage. This material can decay and cause the foul smell you are getting.

Sometimes, a clogged sink can be cleared with boiling water down the drain. Otherwise, a professional plumber can unclog it efficiently. As a preventative measure, you can make a habit of pouring hot water down your drain occasionally. Doing this might reduce the likelihood of clogs.

Bathroom P-Trap

If you don’t know what a p-trap is, now is an excellent time to learn. Your p-trap is a plumbing fixture with a sharp bend in it, which runs under the sink. It is designed to trap water so that debris doesn’t go down the drain and clog the system. It also serves to stop sewer gases from coming back up the pipe.

If you notice a smell under the bathroom sink, it could be that the P-trap has run dry. When you don’t regularly use the sink, the water level can become too low and allow gases to pass through. Make sure you run the taps in rarely used bathrooms so that the p-trap can remain filled.

Venting Issues with Bathroom Sink

Inside your walls, you have interconnecting pipes that connect to the sewer. This pipe network is an essential part of the plumbing system, but it gets clogged easily. Since it connects to outside your home, different types of debris can get stuck inside and cause a potential blockage.

When the sewer gases can’t flow efficiently, they will navigate through the piping and escape from the bathroom sink. Contact a qualified Whitby plumber, who will follow the problem to its source and work to clear the blockage.

Sewer Pipe Blockage

All the wastewater lines from your home travel to one main sewer pipe. This includes sinks, toilets, tubs and showers. While you may have kept your bathroom sink drain clear, other drains could still cause blockages in the sewer line. It can come from a combination of debris, including food waste and grease in the kitchen sink. Other common causes of a blocked sewer line are pipe collapse, corrosion, or shifting soil near the pipe.

These potential issues result in the same type of blockage, allowing gases to flow back and cause the bathroom sink smells. Your mighty plunger won’t help you here. Instead, you will need a professional plumber to tackle this significant problem. They have the equipment and expertise to tackle a sewer pipe blockage.