There has been a sewer like smell in my bathroom sink and has been there since I purchased the house last May. I have two sinks but the smell seems to be coming from only one sink. Hot water and baking soda helped for a while but the smell has come back. Any suggestions for a permanent resolution?

speedball1

Remove the stopper from your sink. Look down in the drain and you will see a rod about 6" down. Hair hangs up and rots on that rod. Fish it out,(ugh!) The reason you smell it at the overflow is that when you drain some of the smell is forced back out the overflow. If you have a problem getting the stopper out click on back and I'll walk you through it. Regards, Tom

nm1000

I am unable to remove the stopper and in your response you said you would walk me through it. Can you tell me how? Also, do I need a special tool to fish out the hair in my sink? Thanks.

speedball1

If the stopper won't pull up then the installer tied it down. To free the stopper, push down on the knob raising the stopper to the drain position. Now go underneith the lavatory and locate a knured nut with a rod sticking out of it. Take a pair of pliers and free the nut just enough for it to turn by hand. STOP! Now hand loosen the nut enough so the nut and rod just begains to clear. STOP!
Now GENTLY, while you're pulling up on the stopper pull the nut and rod out SLOWLY and STOP when the stopper clears enough to remove. CAREFUL!! Don't let it pull all the way out. Now tighten the nut by hand and snug it up with a pair of pliers. You may now just drop the stopper in and it will continue to ride on top of the rod so if you ever have to remove it you can.

If you see hair down there the only tool you will need is a clothes hanger with a hook bent in it. Good luck, Tom