There’s nothing worse than walking into your kitchen or bathroom and being hit with a nasty smell from the sink or shower drain.

At EPM, we regularly investigate drain odours in homes across Exeter and the South Devon coast — and in most cases, the cause is simple once you know what to look for.

Here’s what might be causing it — and what to do about it.

1. Dry Traps (Yes, That’s a Real Thing)

Your sink, shower, or bath has a U-bend (also called a trap) that holds a small amount of water to block smells from the main waste pipe.

If that trap dries out — often because it hasn’t been used for a while — sewer gas can come straight back up.

What to do:
Run water through the drain for 30 seconds. If it smells better, that was the problem.

2. Blocked or Gunky Waste Pipes

A slow build-up of:

• Hair

• Grease

• Food debris

• Soap and toothpaste residue

…can cause foul smells as it breaks down and clings to the inside of the waste pipe.

What to do:
Try a natural clean (bicarbonate + vinegar) or remove the trap and clean it. If the smell persists, it may be further down the line — and that’s where we come in.

3. Poorly Installed Pipework

We’ve seen this across newer homes and DIY bathrooms — pipes installed without a proper fall or vents.

This can create:

• Slow drainage

• Gurgling noises

• Smells from trapped water or backflow

What to do:
If cleaning hasn’t worked and smells keep returning, it may be time for a proper inspection.

4. Outside Gullies or Soakaways

Smells in kitchens are often caused by outdoor gullies clogged with leaves, moss, or decomposing food waste from dishwashers.

What to do:
Lift the grid outside, clean out the gully, and flush it through. If the gully is shared, the issue could be further down the line.

5. Sewer Line or Vent Issues

If the smell is strong and persistent — and especially if it affects more than one room — it may be:

• A blocked or collapsed drain

• Vent pipe issues

• A backflow or trapped pressure in the waste system

This is where we bring in our CCTV equipment and jetting gear to get to the root of it fast.

Final Word from EPM

If a quick clean hasn’t sorted your smelly drains, don’t ignore it — the longer it’s left, the worse it can get.

We can clear it, trace it, and fix it — usually in one visit — and we cover everywhere from Exeter to Ivybridge and everywhere in between.