Sewage problem

Hi,
So I dont own a laundry machine (I use coin laundry). I moved to this apartment in January and I had no real problems with it until mid-July.
My Dining-Kitchen area smelled real nasty one day which was odd, I did not have any food lying out or anything. Every time I walked through it was like something was rotting. I checked my kitchen sink’s Drain and it was fine. My unit-bath drain collects mold sometimes but I clean that often. Then I checked the laundry machine area and opened that drain...

WTF...

There was this brown murky water in there and a dead roach, some fruit flies and what not. How the heck did water collect there if I didnt have a machine? I figured maybe the water was there before I moved in but that smell was there This entire time. Anyways I cleared out that mess. Bought some of those drain deodorizer tablets. The smell disappeared.

Or so I thought!

The smell returned shortly after. I checked again. No water but the pipe was still nasty and the bugs were still there. So out of frustration, I taped the opening up. The scent was gone but why is this happening? Does this happen to anyone else?

I would like to call building management at some point when I can afford service for this mess.

Most drain pipes are connected (from sinks, tub, shower, toilet, and washer) as they are go to the same place eventually. Most of them also have U-traps where water in it prevents the sewer smell from creeping into the house. Even if you don’t have a washer, you do want water to remain in the U-trap for washer drain to keep the smell out. Bugs need water to live, so they (roaches, ants, etc.) will find it unless you cover it. Taping it is a good way to keep the bugs out and prevents that water from evaporating. You still want to check periodically to make sure the trap is full of water and tape seals are still good.

Thanks for explaining. Yea I think its the U Trap that was the problem. Just that water was very murky. Taping it up helped for the most part but I’ll keep some clean water in there for future.

The bathroom trap is frequently dirty with mold and clogs the tub drain sometimes. I wonder if this has to do with moisture.

Hi,

I wonder if you've noticed that the drain outlets are deep, complicated and can/should be disassembled and cleaned by the user from time to time. Typically, it is all explained in the washing machine manual.

Here is a random illustration I happened to find from the internet.
https://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0001082500/SortID=22661264/ImageID=3206802...

Yours may not look exactly like this, but I'm sure it is similar. All the parts in the illustration can be taken apart by an ordinary housewife except for maybe #350 and #340. A smart way to do it is to record on video as you take them apart, so that you'd know how to put them together again.

If you had been using a good drain cleaner once a couple of months, that's usually all you have to do, but once you get it clogged, the only way to straighten it out is to take everything apart and clean each piece.

For the record, I use a washing machine, and I had the drain outlet clogged enough to stop water from draining. I had to clean every part. This used to happen once a year until a professionals advised me to use something like 洗濯機の排水口泡スプレー once a few months, and since then I haven't had to take everything apart for at least a few years.

Keep in mind that these kind of complicated drains are also attached in your bathing area as well as under the bath tub to which you can reach by taking off the "apron" of the tub. So, it would be ideal if you can clean them all from time to time.

Meanwhile, I suppose you can also discuss it with your landlord or a 工務店 (building firm) near you.

Hope it helps.

@Uco

Lol I am not a housewife, Im a guy.

And its not just my washing machine area, it now affects my unit bathroom. The water in the drain is somehow completely gone and a strong odor is coming out of it.

I cleaned both drains but it’s probably a building issue. Its a rather old building but I did not expect this kind of problem, as it never happened to me before in other apartments I lived in.

I merely meant that if any housewife (like me) can do it, a grown male can, too. Anyway, you should try talking to whoever is in charge of the building. (If you're renting, there should be a landlord, and if you've bought it, there should be a "kanri-gaish"). Good luck!