Frustrated that no matter what you do, the bathroom still smells like urine? Lucky for you, we crafted this guide so you can tackle it and make it go away for good.
So follow these steps below to rid your bathroom of this unpleasant odor and disinfect and clean it too. As you will see, the job won’t take long to finish!
1) Apply bleach to your toilet
It may be impossible to take out the pungent urine odor with an ordinary cleaner. You have to use a special urine formula or bleach.
Bleach is a powerful cleaner that can break down organic mixtures like urine. It also acts as a disinfectant, which in turn, kills the bacteria that are causing the smell.
Now, take a scrub brush, pour a small amount of bleach on it, and scrub above and under the toilet rim. Plus, work around the toilet including the tank, floor, cabinets, and walls.
Afterward, get a toilet brush and brush the inside of the bowl, as that’s where the smell might be coming from.
Finally, wipe the toilet and area using a clean microfiber cloth, and then let your bathroom dry. You can rinse it with a bucket of clean water, but be careful not to directly touch the water.
Don’t forget to wear long rubber gloves, a face mask, and a vision protector when cleaning the toilet with bleach. That’s because accidental splashes can irritate your eyes and skin and inhaling it is toxic.
2) Replace the toilet seal
If doing the aforementioned doesn’t remove the urine odor, check your toilet seal a.k.a. wax ring, which is located under the base of the toilet.
Perhaps the seal is cracked or damaged with urine all over it. Or it could be protruding out of its center too, which you may not have noticed.
As a consequence, the seal becomes a breeding ground for bacteria that are responsible for making the urine smell linger in the bathroom.
To replace the seal, you will need to detach some parts of the toilet and lift it. You will need some DIY tools and supplies, and this could take a few hours to do.
Otherwise, you could just get a handyman or plumber to help you out, which is the easier and better option.
3) Replace the toilet flange
The toilet flange is the part underneath the toilet below the wax seal. Its purpose is to stabilize the toilet and link it to the sewer through which urine and waste are dumped into.
While you’re checking whether the seal is torn, it’s smart to also check the state of your toilet flange to save yourself from needless hard work.
It’s not uncommon for the toilet flange to become damaged too. And there’s an even greater need to replace it because the urine is collecting there and sewer odors are rising out of the drainage.
If it is indeed damaged, your best bet is to leave it to a professional plumber. Not only can they replace it for you safely and efficiently, but they can also inspect that no water has leaked to the subfloor, which can be costly to repair in the long run.
In other words, by enlisting the help of a pro, you’ll save time, effort, and money. And so, you’ll still have the rest of the day to yourself!
