Drain a bit smelly?

May 02, 2026•1 min read

Have you got odours coming from your bathroom or laundry drain?

The first possible cause of a sewage smell in your bathroom is by far the easiest to fix. It is more likely to occur in bathrooms where fixtures haven’t been used recently, such as the sink in a guest bathroom or the tub in a bathroom with a separate shower. This is because the water that is supposed to sit inside the trap can evaporate over time.

If that’s the case, the solution is as simple as running some water to allow the P-trap to fill up again. The role of the P-Trap is to keep the sewer gases out of the home.

Diagram of P trap under floor
Diagram of P trap under floor

If this isn’t fixing the problem though:

  1. Unclog the drain. If the sink is blocked with hair and grime, this can become smelly.

  2. If the water keeps leaking out from the P trap quite quickly, the trap may have a leak, and will need to be replaced by your plumber.

  3. There may be a more serious reason for the smell – call us and Jackal Plumbing would be happy to investigate!

Mandy Walsh
Business Owner
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Jackal Plumbing is based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and services the North Shore, Sydney City, Inner West and Eastern Suburbs.

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