Strong unbearable chemical smell in bathroom (2023 Update)

[Jymmeh1993]

About 1-2 months ago now we remodeled out bathroom. New grout, new tiles, new floor, new toilet. Since then, there has been a very very very strong chemical smell in the bathroom that simply will not go away. It almost smells like the fresh grout but 10 times worse and just builds up if the door is kept shut, but completely dissipates if door is left open (smell does not go into hallway or rest of house when door is open, just goes away). I would like to note we are on city water but not city sewage, we have a septic tank. If anyone has any ideas on what it could be or how to get rid of it, please help. We now dread having to use of brand new bathroom due to the smell and it's hard to breathe the smell. Thanks in advance

[bob haller]

maybe tthe toilet flange is leaking?

[Ed Pawlowski]

That would be my guess too. Most any chemical residue would be diminished, if not gone my now. I remodeled two bathrooms and no odor lasted more than a half hour. Tile does not smell, waste pipes do.

[Jymmeh1993]

replying to bob haller, Jymmeh1993 wrote: Would that have a chemical smell? It doesn't smell like waste or sewage at all.

[David L. Martel]

Jym,

If this work was done by a pro then call him back for advice. Other than that I've no advice. Grout smells for about a day. If you've got any leftover flooring then smell it, I guess.

Dave M.

[Jymmeh1993]

replying to David L. Martel, Jymmeh1993 wrote: We did the work ourselves so no one to call really unless I call someone to come investigate it for me.

[TomR]

Do you have any pets? -- such as a cat or cats?

[Jymmeh1993]

replying to TomR, Jymmeh1993 wrote: We have cats and dogs but they don't have access to this bsthroom.

[Frank]

Wish this chemist could help but can't. I googled it up and got a lot of hits like this:

Odors like those in new carpet dissipate with time. New chemical is not created and what was smelling has to diminish.

I might first try washing with something that contains bleach.

[dadiOH]

"Jymmeh1993" wrote in message news:b6c89$57f90d39$a2d350aa$ [e-mail]...

To me, grout has an earthy odor. Is that the sort of odor you have? If so, mold also has an earthy odor.

[hubops]

Did you use any " plastic " plumbing pipe ? ... perhaps used the wrong " glue " with it ? .. just a wild guess. Can you use your nose to locate the likely source ? ie : floor ; tub ; under sink ; John T.

[Dan Espen]

Sorry, but your story sounds like a bit of hysteria. Please don't take insult.

Some other poster provided a URL about grout smells. The article describes odors grout might acquire over time, _not_ the smell of new grout. New grout doesn't have much of a smell.

The part you describe above about the smell being really bad in a confined space but not traveling into the hallway, is just not the way smells work. If the smell is bad in the bathroom, the smell will be in the hallway.

Maybe you should ask a friend or 2 if they smell anything.

[Police]

Do you guys know you're not replying to anyone? This is another repost from Homos Hub. The original post is probably from the 19th or 20th century. By now, the OP is in prison after the police discovered the remains of his murdered family inside his bathroom's walls. He was charged and found guilty of the murders, and sent to prison.

[Taxed and Spent]

no, it is current and OP has responded to some of the replies.

why don't you know that?

[Jymmeh1993]

replying to Dan Espen, Jymmeh1993 wrote: All 3 of us in the house notice the smell, then a family friend came for a visit and she said she did too. And I know, it's really weird cause I know smell should permeate into the hallway when the doors are left open but it just goes away or perhaps with all the fresh air it gets really diluted? I just know we really want it to be figured out lol

[John G]

After two months all smells associated with the renovation should have diss ipated. Pulling the toilet and installing a new wax ring is one possibilit y, but you said it is a strong chemical smell like grout. Maybe one of the products that you used for the remodel is having a bad reaction with anoth er product.

Did any garbage get left inside of the walls?

Is the vent pipe for the bathroom plumbing clear of any obstructions?

Do you have critter problems? Somethings they get into places they cannot get out of and die. That smell lingers for a long time.

Try contacting the grout manufacturer.

[Stormin' Norman]

Did you install a new vanity and or counter top? What are they made of? If the counter / sink is a synthetic, that could be the culprit. If the vanity cabinet is a pressed wood product, it could have been manufactured with inappropriate glue such as one might find in product not made in the USA.

Also, did you install a new wax ring with the new toilet?

[Dan Espen]

Thanks for not taking insult.

I still can't think of any explanation for a smell going from unbearable to zero in a few feet.

Have you tried getting really close to the grout and other things in the room and sniffing?

Perhaps break off a piece of grout and take it out of the room and see if the smell follows.

Is there an exhaust fan in the room? If so, run it until the smell stops. Otherwise leave the window partially open.

All smells eventually dissipate. One of the worst is cat pee. I had a sick cat and it took a long time for the smell to go but it eventually did.

Google searches for new grout smells, turn up one thread about a rotten egg smell. That's hydrogen sulfide. Is that the smell you have?

[Jymmeh1993]

replying to Dan Espen, Jymmeh1993 wrote: We do have an exhaust fan but it needs replaced so don't want to let it run when we aren't home (needs replaced and cleaned out, big build up of dust up there and just haven't had time yet) and no window in the bathroom, the bathroom is actually split up, one side has the sink and vanity then there is a wall and door to the side that had the tub and toilet in, this is the section that has the smell. We haven't tried sniffing around to try and find the culprit yet but we will do that next. We have cats and dogs so used to having some smelly smells sometimes but this isn't an organic or living smell, it's definitely chemical or something.

To answer some of the other questions about the toilet, we did replace the wax ring but we even caulked around the toilet (idk why, we just did so no hate please lol) so if the seal or ring broke I don't think we would be getting any smells up from there. We just got back from the store and got some heavy duty bathroom cleaning supplies with bleach so we will smell the grout while it's still dry and then use the cleaning supplies and smell it tomorrow to see if that makes it go away.

[Stormin' Norman]

Did you also paint? And, again, what about the counter and vanity?