Why the Bathroom in Your Chinese Apartment Smells Awful
advertisement
Nope,
your poops aren't suddenly waaay smellier now that you live in China
(well actually, maybe they are). And it's not just you: bathrooms often
do smell worse here. If you've experienced a gag-reflex-inducing,
sulphury, sewer smell emanating from your bathroom, that no deed of
yours could ever explain, you know what we're talking about. The good
news is that there is a simple explanation for the problem, and a number
of ways to deal with it.
READ: Dip It Low: How Mastering the Squat Toilet Will Improve Your Life
Ready
for a plumbing 101? Wastewater from showers, toilets, and sinks in
individual apartments flow into underground sewer systems via one or
more central vertical pipes. The top of the pipe usually vents out the
roof into the outside air, while the bottom leads directly to the sewer.
In most of the Western world, the wastewater plumbing systems
incorporate P-traps, also known as U-bends, into every apartment. In
fact, it's illegal in many countries not to install them. Aside from
catching precious items of jewelry that have been accidentally washed
down the drain, traps are essential in creating a barrier between the
sewer pipes and your apartment, which is created when an adequate level
of water fills the 'u'-shaped part. This barrier prevents smelly (and
dangerous) sewer gasses from finding their way back up into your home.
advertisement
More information than you ever needed about a P-trap
As
you may have already guessed, many older Chinese buildings simply don't
have this plumbing feature, and the lack of a P-trap is the most likely
(but perhaps not only) cause of bad smells in your bathroom. Short of
ripping up the tiles and going all DIY on your apartment yourself, to
counter this problem, the simplest thing to do is to create a series of
physical barriers.
The
most likely culprits for bad smells are the shower drain, the washing
machine drain, and the bathroom sink. Despite their bad reputations,
toilets (which already have a water barrier) are actually not commonly
the source of that special smell that we all know and love.
So how exactly do you block the drains? Here are some handy products that we've tested around the Beijinger office over the years:
Best 10 kuai you'll ever spend. Use this image to search in Taobao or search "地漏盖 (dìlòu gài)" online
This product is a bit larger, up to 15cm. Search this image in Taobao or search "地漏盖 (dìlòu gài)" online
This nifty universal seal is good for the laundry waste line. Search this image in Taobao or search "下水道防臭密封圈 (xiàshuǐdào fángchòu mìfēng quān)" online
These come in a variety of sizes and options. Search this image in Taobao or search "面盆下水器 (miànpén xiàshuǐ qì)" online
But before you plug everything up...
Have
a good ole dig around for trapped hair and built-up soap scum, and
please, stop buying Draino. It's unnecessarily aggressive, and terrible
for the environment. Our favorite alternative is cheap, effective,
non-toxic, and uses a combination of salt and hot water. Go here for
more details: brendid.com/how-to-naturally-clean-a-clogged-drain/.
Now that you've got everything clean and tidy, it's time to make new habits, namely...
We
know, we know, you think it's gross. You know what else is gross?
Plunging your clogged pipes every single day. The pipes in most Beijing
buildings are just too narrow and old to deal with paper. Purchase a
small bin with a flip lid, some biodegradable bin liners, and stash the
paper there. You'll get used to it.
Now
you've got the bad smells out, you can treat your bathroom to the scent
profile that it deserves with diffusers, incense, and scented candles.
Not sure where to start? We're quite partial to a Justin Trudeau-scented
number (via etsy.com), or if you like your design choices to be
extremely literal, the one which smells like a urinal cake (via
hotwicks.com).
Just
want the place to smell like absolutely nothing at all? Try a set of
activated bamboo charcoal, which is an effective odor absorber.
Happy poopin' Beijing!
Photos: the Beijinger, Baopals, wemedia.ifeng.com
advertisement
Beijing Pops: Kris Wu's Sexual Scandal Became A Civil Case
Can Universal Studios Still Be Beijing's Promised Wonderland?
Go to "Discover" > "Top Stories" > "Wow"