We have remodled a 30 year old house and lived in it now for 3 years. We just now started smelling a horrible wet dirt smell coming from the kitchen sink drain and now the bathroom drain. The smell is so strong it overwhelms you when you walk in the front door. We have checked everywhere for moisture and under the house as well, and can not find it. We have poured clorox numerous times and draino in the sink. The city recently put the main city sewer line in our yard, could this be a gas coming through the pipes. Also the pipes are metal. The smell is so strong that charcoal does not help. What could this be?

Let's start very basic. Do you see traps, kind of an S shaped loop, under you sinks? If you have traps and they hold water you won't get sewer gas in the house. Sew gas smells like what you tink it should smell like but you're saying wet dirt. I'm thinking mold somewhere. Try getting some bleach into the overflow hole in the bathroom sink. Remove the stoopper and check for rotting hair balls. Does you kitchen sink have a disposal? How close did the city get to your home and di the smell start at the same time? Back to you.

The city got approximately 4 feet from the house. We do have a disposal that we use regularly, but we do clean it out regularly by using clorox bleach and ice. We do have p traps under the sink that lead to metal pipes that go down the wall to the main line. And yes, we did start smelling this dirt smell worse after the city put the main sewer line 4 feet from our house.

I like the rice thing, I'll have to try it. I also dump two trays of ice cubes in the disposal while its run. It scares the hell out of the cat and cleans quite well. I'd call the city and tell them your problem start when they dug in your yard. They may have opened some old septic field or drain tile.

"we did start smelling this dirt smell worse after the city put the main sewer line 4 feet from our house."
This is just off the top of my head, but could it be the city sewer line has pressure in it that forces sewer gas past your traps? Do you hear a bubble sometimes. You wouldn't even even hear a bubble if the pressure just allowed sewer gas to seep past the trap. Get the city involved. Good luck and let me know, Tom