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-   -   Smelly laundry room (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=378786)

  • Jul 22, 2009, 09:21 PM
    annie_nyc
    Smelly laundry room
    We just moved into a 10 year old house which is in very good condition. Since the day 1 I noticed a weird smell in the laundry room. Initially I thought that the smell was from the cat supplies the previous owners stored in the cabinets in there and maybe they cad the litter box in there too. I used multiple products and waited. After 2 months the smell is still there and I am pretty sure it is not from the cat. I have no clue what is going on there. The sink in there doesn't smell nor does any laundry. We have a 8-10 year old whirlpool washer/dryer in there. (front loading dryer/top loading washer). Please help me figure this out. My husband is very clueless when it comes to such matter and any help will be appreciated

    Thanks, Annie
  • Jul 23, 2009, 05:31 AM
    speedball1
    Most bad smells in laundry rooms come from a forgotten floor drain. The water seal evaporates allowing sewer gas to enter your home. The solution would to fill the trap with cooking oil and forget it. Good luck, Tom
  • Jul 23, 2009, 07:14 AM
    annie_nyc

    Hi Tom! Thanks for all your help! I read about the floor drains here but I am not sure how to find one. What is a floor drain and how do I find it? The laundry room has wooden floors and I don't see any drains there or an opening for a drain. There a laundry sink which has a drain. Is that the same. Sorry and thanks for all your help!

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by speedball1 View Post
    Most bad smells in laundry rooms come from a forgotten floor drain. The water seal evaporates allowing sewer gas to enter your home. The solution would to fill the trap with cooking oil and forget it. Good luck, Tom
    Hi Tom,. I did as you suggested... I poured a bucket of hot water and then 1/2 cup pf cooking oil down the drain. For about 1 day it seemed like the smell was gone but then it returned... do you think 1/2 cup oil was not enough or do you think it is something else.. maybe the washer dryer pipes... do they require cleaning after 10 years? Please help! Thanks a lot
  • Jul 28, 2009, 06:05 AM
    speedball1
    We don't install floor drains on wooden floors so I don't think that you have one. Forget the cooking oil and do the bleach thingy again. This time use boiling water to loosen that smelly grease. Good luck and let me know. Tom
  • Jul 28, 2009, 06:24 AM
    annie_nyc
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by speedball1 View Post
    We don't install floor drains on wooden floors so I don't think that you have one. Forget the cooking oil and do the bleach thingy again. This time use boiling water to loosen that smelly grease. Good luck and let me know. Tom
    I am sorry but I am not sure what bleach thingy you are referring to :confused: can you please give more instructions.. thnks a lot
  • Jul 28, 2009, 06:39 AM
    speedball1
    Sorry, Here's instructions. . Tonight before bedtime pour 1/2 gallon of bleach down the drain and let it set over night. Next morning, ( and this is important ) flush the mess out with two large pans of boiling water.
    The bleach will start to dissolve the crud and make it slippery and the boiling water will melt the grease and flush it away. Good luck, Tom
  • Jul 29, 2009, 08:11 PM
    annie_nyc
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by speedball1 View Post
    Sorry, Here's instructions. . Tonight before bedtime pour 1/2 gallon of bleach down the drain and let it set over night. Next morning, ( and this is important ) flush the mess out with two large pans of boiling water.
    The bleach will start to dissolve the crud and make it slippery and the boiling water will melt the grease and flush it away. Good luck, Tom
    Hi tom, I did as you suggested and it seems like the smell is gone. For now. I hope unlike before it won't come back soon. I will keep you updated. Thanks a lot.

    I have another question:- the master bath above the laundry room also has a weird smell.. it's a different smell from the one in the laundry room.. more musky, weird.. I thght it was the toilet bowl but I have cleaned it again and again.. not sure what it is but it comes and goes. Could it be coming from the gutter outside the bathroom ( when we moved in the gutter was clogged and overflowing and now it seems to have a little leak from that corner).. not sure what's going on.. thanks a lot for all your help :)
  • Jul 30, 2009, 04:29 AM
    speedball1
    Hey Annie,
    I hope your "stinky's" gone too. You're going to hafta sniff around the bathroom drains and tell me where it smells the worst before I can be of much help. Next time the smell's back go sniff around and let me know. Good luck, tom
  • Jul 30, 2009, 07:03 AM
    annie_nyc
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by speedball1 View Post
    Hey Annie,
    I hope your "stinky's" gone too. You're gonna hafta sniff around the bathroom drains and tell me where it smells the worst before I can be of much help. Next time the smell's back go sniff around and let me know. Good luck, tom
    Well last night I tried sniffing around but couldn't find the source. Will try again today. Thanks a lot for your help

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