Ventilation is key
When it comes to preventing bad bathroom odours, proper ventilation is essential. Simple air flow can help reduce smells and prevent mould. If your bathroom has an overhead fan, turn it on after you use the bathroom. If you don’t have an overhead fan but have a window, open it to air the room. Turning on the fan or opening a window can be helpful after use of the toilet or the shower. The moist air from a shower can cause mildew to buildup, resulting in a musty smelling bathroom.
If you do have an overhead ventilation fan, make sure you give it a clean at least every 6 months.
Eliminate, don’t just cover up the smell
If you keep a spray bottle in the bathroom, buy one that’s labelled “odour eliminator” rather than an air freshener. If you spray air freshener, it only covers up the smell and once the product wears off, you’ll notice it hasn’t eliminated the odour. If the smell is strong, it might even be detectable over the air freshener scent.
Odour eliminators on the other hand seek to neutralize odours, rather than simply cover it up. You may need to shop around before you find one that works for you. Read product reviews to see what has worked for others.
Try air purifiers
If your bathroom isn’t well ventilated, and has poor air circulation, an odor eliminator might not be enough to prevent bad odours. Air purifiers are a plug-in device that helps increase air circulation and remove odour-causing bacteria from the air.
Air purifiers range in price. Top-rate purifiers can cost as much as $250 but may be unnecessary if you’re only using it in a small bathroom. You can buy a smaller, cheaper purifier for $25 to $50.
Make your own air freshener
If the store-bought air freshener and odour eliminators aren’t working for you, you can try making your own.
Try mixing two cups of water with a tablespoon of white vinegar, a teaspoon of baking soda, and 10 drops of essential oils (eg lavender). Put the liquid in a spray bottle and leave on the back of your toilet. Spray when required.
Cleaning Your Bathroom
Even if you regularly clean your bathroom, there may be certain areas that need addressing. Sometimes, the area around your toilet needs a good cleaning. This can help remove set-in odours that are causing a bad smell. A mixture of baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar may work well. These products are often effective at reducing odour. Also try cleaning with essential oils as they’re powerful scents. Try oregano, cedar, thyme, clove, lavender, clary sage or arborvitae oils. They smell good and have antimicrobial and antifungal qualities.
Regular cleaning prevents odours from building up and causing problems. You should do a routine cleaning once a week. Clean the toilet bowl, lid, and the sides of the toilet. Mop the floor. Clean the bathtub and shower, as well as the sink.
This may seem obvious, but if you have a bin in your bathroom, empty it at least once a week. If you don’t it may be the cause of your bad bathroom odours.
Clean out your drain
Clogs in drains are frequently the cause of bathroom odour and can lead to bigger problems. Make sure to clean out drains if you notice water backing up frequently. You should also take measures to prevent drains each month.
Watch out for mould
Mould is a common problem in bathrooms, particularly if they’re not properly ventilated and regularly cleaned. You may notice speckles of black along your bathroom ceiling. If these marks resurface after cleaning, and seem to expand, you may have a mould problem.
Look under the sink. Mould commonly begins to grow around the pipes under the sink, especially if water leaks out.
Recognise the symptoms of mould exposure. If you don’t see any mould, but have any of the following symptoms, consider having a professional mould inspection done in your bathroom. Symptoms include wheezing, rashes, watering eyes, red eyes, itchy eyes, and a runny nose.
Regularly wash bathroom fabrics
As bathrooms are frequently damp environments, towels can contribute to the odour if they’re not washed regularly as they can get musky fast. If you keep hand towels and other fabrics in your bathroom, wash them once a week. This can prevent a buildup of odours that leads to an unpleasant smell.
Make sure you dry your towels completely before putting them back in the bathroom.
Book in a mould and plumbing inspection
If you’ve taken our advice- regularly cleaning your bathroom, providing proper ventilation, checking your drains but still finding that your bathroom has a bad odour, give us a call. Green Planet Plumbing Newcastle can complete a mould and plumbing inspection to make sure that there are no major issues that may be causing the odour. If you want to have a chat to our staff about how we can help, contact us today.
