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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat's That Smell?
My wife and I came home yesterday, walked in the door, and my wife said, "What's that smell?" When I walked in, I had the same reaction. A sulfurous, foul odor could easily be detected. I first looked over at the dog, but he didn't look guilty, like he usually does if we're gone and he gets caught short and can't wait to poop. It's invariable...he looks sheepish when that happens.
I had just cleaned the cat's litter box that morning, so it wasn't cat crap, either. So, we opened the house doors and a couple of windows and I went exploring. The smell got stronger as I went into the basement and was strongest of all in the basement laundry and furnace room. Yuck!
I tracked it down to the floor drain in the basement floor, and shortly figured out what the problem was. I'm not a native Minnesotan, and California homes don't have either basements or floor drains, so I had not thought much about that drain in the laundry room. But now it was smelly, but why? It took me a couple of minutes before I realized that there was probably a U-trap under that drain, and that the water in that trap had evaporated, letting sewer gasses get into the house. So, I dumped some water in the floor drain to refresh the trap and the smell stopped. After a couple of hours, circulating air got rid of it everywhere in the house. Live and learn. Life's different in Minnesota in so many ways, really.
But, it got me thinking. A neglected floor drain, like the republican party, starts stinking if you ignore it too long. Now, pouring a couple of gallons of water into the floor drain flushes it out and renews the water seal, blocking that stink. I wonder how much water we need to pour down the bottomless pit of Republican politics before it is flushed out and sealed up? However much it requires, I think it's time to start carrying buckets of water over to that stinking drain. We've got to seal that thing up and stop those foul gasses from stinking up the place. We may need a bucket brigade, but we should get started right away.
DURHAM D
(32,611 posts)MineralMan
(146,329 posts)so that doesn't happen. I think I'll be dumping a gallon of water down the floor drain from time to time from now on. It simply didn't occur to me, since I've never lived in a house with a basement before. Interesting.
RC
(25,592 posts)I hear glycerin car antifreeze works instead of the water. I haven't tried that though.
Either that or get in the habit of poring some water in the drain once a month or so.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)so it's not a problem for me to dump a gallon of water in that drain from time to time. The laundry sink is right there. It won't happen again.
But, how do we stop the deep, septic pit that is the Republican party from stinking? That's the real question.
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)underneath the dryer once, when it was moved to be repaired. I don't know what happened to their tiny little bodies, tho...
BainsBane
(53,066 posts)That can kill you. Same reason why you need to flush basement toilets that are rarely used. The gas can build up and be dangerous.
Not about the GOP, I realize.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)I'll make sure that trap doesn't dry out again. I wish dealing with Republicans was as easy. They're dangerous, too, and they smell even worse than my floor drain.
BainsBane
(53,066 posts)MineralMan
(146,329 posts)garbage disposal a couple of times.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)My office is down there, so I have to go upstairs from time to time. On the other hand, exercise is good.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)Basements culture is important to northern survival
You need to know how to avoid rust and mildew on those canned pears
Things like where to put the cabbages so they don't stink up the carrots... and how to keep your DIY sauerkraut from turning red.
and why one apple really spoils the whole barrel and any carrots near them and how to make winter squash winter.
For sure you want to read up on the critical ethnic food things...like how to use a cool basement or the enclosed back porch to make Gravliks (pickled fish for the Chrstmas holiday) and how to prepare Lutefisk so that it doesn't taste like drain cleaner.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)house. I won't be "putting up" food, I think.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)n2doc
(47,953 posts)MineralMan
(146,329 posts)msanthrope
(37,549 posts)Be careful.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)Yesterday, I also finally put screens on my gutters. I am sick to death of cleaning the maple leaves, flowers, and seeds from those gutters. It took me a couple of hours to clean the gutters for the last damned time and put the very cleverly-designed covers on them. I got the 10' step ladder out for that job and made sure it was very stable for each position where I had to work. I'm too old to fall off ladders any more.
Anyway, that gigantic 50-year-old silver maple tree can do its worst, now, and I'll just laugh in its face!
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)a serious problem.
I am recovering from surgery for a detached retina, so I think that project will have to wait a week or two.
Funny, from the title, I thought this was another dkf thread.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)Sometimes that poster would reply to my OPs, though. I just didn't have much to say to him/her.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)I can't believe I kept cleaning the gutters again and again. Sometimes, I'm just stupid. $50 worth of nifty PVC gutter covers and I won't have to do that any more. Doh!
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)a plane trip. But I am hoping to be out of bed at the end of this weekend.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)Detached retinas are nothing to take lightly, for sure.
japple
(9,839 posts)do whatever they tell me. Hope this was/is a first/last time for you.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)for me, and kept me in bed longer. I HOPE I never go through this again....
Five times? What the hell? My eye is hurting for you!
mockmonkey
(2,829 posts)I'm a renter and I told my landlord they needed to be cleaned out. He implied that I should do it.
I might have, if I owned a ladder or if he brought me one but now I don't care.
Here's what grew in the gutter a couple of years ago.
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MineralMan
(146,329 posts)If my gutters overflow, water gets into the basement window wells and leaks into the basement. Not good.
mockmonkey
(2,829 posts)I live on the 2nd floor and I don't have access to it. The landlord had new gutters installed about 5 years ago and then he broke up with his girlfriend and everything went to hell. He's now part of the Ron Paul Revolution!
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)mockmonkey
(2,829 posts)In grease traps and sump pumps and septic systems all over America!
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Rather like that faint hint of sulfur on the Acela train lately.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)The perfect place for him. I'll flush twice from now on, just to keep him moving down the pipes.
SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)MineralMan
(146,329 posts)japple
(9,839 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)A neglected floor drain, like the republican party, starts stinking if you ignore it too long. Now, pouring a couple of gallons of water into the floor drain flushes it out and renews the water seal, blocking that stink. I wonder how much water we need to pour down the bottomless pit of Republican politics before it is flushed out and sealed up?
Rec
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)That smell?
Taitertots
(7,745 posts)The right wing hate machine (Faux, Limbaugh...) is just fanning the flames.
AAO
(3,300 posts)MineralMan
(146,329 posts)juajen
(8,515 posts)I can go for that.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)is old hot dish
or young lutefisk.
Rebellious Republican
(5,029 posts)moment I thought you were refering to, oh never mind!
Hekate
(90,793 posts)She was so sure that skunk was her friend! Live and learn.
Much excitement in the Hekate household while dh looked up the Skunk Recipe online and I dragged out a pile of old clean towels.
1 quart hydrogen peroxide; 1/3 cup baking soda; 1 or 2 teaspoons of ordinary dish detergent. Don rubber gloves; mix in a plastic bucket; dump chagrined pooch into the utility sink and sponge all over with the mixture for 5 minutes. Don't get it in her eyes (ha!). Let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Sniff. Repeat. Or not. My nose was on overload and I couldn't tell. Dry dog off, and take her outside on a leash to do her business. This morning she still smells faintly of skunk, and she's so bummed. What's worse is the entire house still has that lingering odor.
Lesson: Skunks are not our friends, and it takes some doing to get rid of the smell.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)small bowls with vinegar in them.....it will help.