Help! My toilet smells even after I clean it!

[lenny1027]

We moved into our house about a year and a half ago. The whole time, our toilet smells funny, even right after we clean it. Even on the day we moved in. We use Seventh Generation cleaners, and I don't want to use anything harsh if I don't have to, but I need to get rid of this smell! My husband has tried putting bleach in the bowl and the tank, but that hasn't helped either. After a couple days, the smell is back. Any suggestions???

[yeahwhat]

Have you tried removing the seat and cleaning around and under the bolts that attach it to the tank?  I couldn't get a stale pee smell out of my bathroom and that ended up being the cause.  It was disgusting.

[IsaFrench]

i have to do that too ....

was away for a week and don't remember when I did it before leaving but on my return, had to just use bleach on all the small pieces which I unscrewed and put in the bath for spraying, letting sit and rinsing etc .... (don't think DH did wipe the toilet once a day as I had suggested he should do ....)

when I regularly once a day wipe with toilet cleaner all around the hinges it doesn't get bad so quickly

what I found surprising is that there doesn't seem to be that much pee every day near the hinges but if it does accumulate over days, then the resulting solid remains that accumulate under the hinges seem to ferment or something....

am now wondering, how frequently do other people unscrew the toilet seat in order to clean under the hinges ?

[lenny1027]

I will have to try that...it's not even a pee smell, though. It's more like a dirty bum smell, so I'm not sure if that will do it. Wow, is this TMI? I know it's not us, though, it's the pre-existing toilet!

[IsaFrench]

a friend of mine who baught a flat last year told me that they had to change the whole flooring and the toilet actually, (in my country, most toilets are NOT in the bathroom, it's a in separate room !)

it had seeped through into the floor...

(but even now, I feel her toilet smells a bit, so am always wondering what stronger product I should be using ... at the same time wishing that I could use something kinder on the environment .....)

[chel]

There might be a leak in the seal under the toilet

[tightwaderin]

I second this idea.  Those wax rings don't last forever. 

[AK47]

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF SOME PEE TRAPPED BETWEEN THE TANK AND THE TOILET SIT.. I THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF BACTERIA, I HAVE FEEL THE SAME  SMELL SEWER TREATMENT PLANTS... TODAY I'M GOING TO TRY A GEL PRODUCT , I MEAN ANYTHING THAT CAN HOLDS IN THE SIT "WALL" DURING A COUPLE HOURS TO BE SURE THAT THOSE BACTERIAS ARE ELIMINATED.

pD: DON'T BE SCARE BECUASE I'M TALKING ABOUT BACTERIA,  THEY ARE EVERYWHERE AND MOSTLY ARE HARMLESS.

[AK47]

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF SOME PEE TRAPPED BETWEEN THE TANK AND THE TOILET SIT.. I THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF BACTERIA, I HAVE FEEL THE SAME  SMELL SEWER TREATMENT PLANTS... TODAY I'M GOING TO TRY A GEL PRODUCT , I MEAN ANYTHING THAT CAN HOLDS IN THE SIT "WALL" DURING A COUPLE HOURS TO BE SURE THAT THOSE BACTERIAS ARE ELIMINATED.

pD: DON'T BE SCARE BECUASE I'M TALKING ABOUT BACTERIA,  THEY ARE EVERYWHERE AND MOSTLY ARE HARMLESS.

[Ruthiegirl]

I would suggest doing the nasty and getting up close and personal and sniffing around the tank -- could be the floor, could be the wax ring, could be the hinges, could be anywhere.  Once you find the source, it will be easier to know how to deal with the smell.  

And I have the same problem as a previous poster -- my hinges get smelly after a couple of 'oops' sprays of pee from my boys.  I bought new toilet seats that have removable seats that easily come off for a thorough washing.  I put the whole seat under a faucet of hot water and clean the hinges each week.  Much less stink.  

http://www.lowes.com/pd_331823-1597-1744EC+000_4294737208__?productId=3223643&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=