Does anyone know where that classic Thailand toilet smell comes from? (No, not 'that' smell.) I'm talking about that smell of rusty old pipes mixed with mildew. And is there any way to get rid of it?

mr muscle and boiling water

Had it in our newly, rented house (the kitchen). I went out and followed the drain. There was a troth it emptied into, and then a cement drain box in the ground. That finally led to the road gutter. I cleaned the cement drain box (full of leaves, stones and mud), swept out the troth, and I could still smell it. I then took a garden hose, and snaked it down the kitchen sink. With some pressured water, along with some good old in/out action on the hose....I was able to flush out the years of gunk stuck inside the drainpipe (under cement). This, had nothing to do with the bathroom...just the kitchen sink.

I followed up with some hot water (to loosen old grease)

You can now block the outside drain pipe (the furthest out), and fill the kitchen drain with vinegar and water. Let it stand overnight. then uplug the drain (outside end)

It now smells darn good.

stop the wife /gf cooking bala badet (fermented fish)

In the west, there are elbows in the septic pipes, somewhat like the jewelry catch under a sink, that causes and air block with small amount of water, preventing the decaying effluent's gas smell from coming back up the pipe. Usually coupled with a tall pipe going up the roof, ending in a angle, that vents the odiferous gas up into the wind. They just don't seem to do it there.

draino & hot water .....

draino & hot water .....

If it's a house septic system ... won't that (Draino) just simply also kill the good bacteria in the drum which breaks down the effluent?

draino & hot water .....

If it's a house septic system ... won't that (Draino) just simply also kill the good bacteria in the drum which breaks down the effluent?

Done properly???? there should be 2 tanks minimum one will get the crap only the other will get all other water waste, fine to chuck that draino down the non crap tank.

Anybody here use that granulated enzyme stuff, you mix it up with warm water and then pour it down the drain and leave it overnight.

First, clean the outside drain (post #3), if you have one. Global House sells the EM product or you can mix your own and apply to all drains.

Second, buy one of those 30 baht screens that fit over your kitchen sink to prevent fine particles of food from going down the drain.

Third, wipe all greasy plates/pans with paper towel/napkin before washing

Finally, do not pee in the shower.....and that goes for everyone else in the family.

That should do the trick.

costic soda flakes [homepro] kills all cockroaches to.

mix with cold water till it gets hot and the fumes start rising,pour down the sink and get out,wait 20mins.flush with a bucket or 2 of water.

Good ideas. One for the septic system...the other for just grey water that finds itself outside to a drainage canal

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Second, buy one of those 30 baht screens that fit over your kitchen sink to prevent fine particles of food from going down the drain.

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Sinks ... you guys have sinks.

Oh the luxury ...

DETOL, I go through heaps of it but it does stop the stink in the drains, strange that here in Thailand detol is the only real disinfectant you can get, for some starge reason thais seem to like the stink and dont want to do anything about it. Back home we can buiy large bottles of disinfectant everywhere, guess the extra cost for getting rid of the smell is too much for thais and they refuse to shell out for it, then again maybe they like the stink, could be why toilet doors are louvered so they can share their stink plus why toilets are in the middle of houses

The smell will always come up because there are no traps. There are apecial grates u see in some showers that let the water in but not the smell out but they get clogged easily. I think they are 32mm. No amount of bleach will get rid of the smell because its probably coming from the main pipe.

DETOL, I go through heaps of it but it does stop the stink in the drains, strange that here in Thailand detol is the only real disinfectant you can get, for some starge reason thais seem to like the stink and dont want to do anything about it. Back home we can buiy large bottles of disinfectant everywhere, guess the extra cost for getting rid of the smell is too much for thais and they refuse to shell out for it, then again maybe they like the stink, could be why toilet doors are louvered so they can share their stink plus why toilets are in the middle of houses

yep sj.one of our toilets is ajoined to the kitchen,so i have banned anyone useing it if one is eating.

The smell will always come up because there are no traps. There are apecial grates u see in some showers that let the water in but not the smell out but they get clogged easily. I think they are 32mm. No amount of bleach will get rid of the smell because its probably coming from the main pipe.

A lot of good posts here, but I tend to agree with this one the most bc it's not an everyday smell. Or it's worse on certain days. That leads me to believe it's something deeper in the system that comes back up occasionally. Although, hot water and vinegar seems to be a quick fix so far.