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Strong odor

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golgol
  11/15/2019 17:53 EST

After months of research, my family and I are on our first trip in Portugal. We started in Lisbon, then a night in Caldas da Rainha, then a couple in Coimbra, and are now in Porto. We plan on checking out Braga and Guimaraes too. We have stayed at stylish and very reasonably priced Airbnbs with helpful and kind hosts. Wherever we've gone, people have been hospitable, kind and sincere. The sights are gorgeous. The language is musical and lovely. Prices have been beyond reasonable. The food and wine have been delicious. The quality of life appears to beat anywhere I've ever lived in the U.S. or my original home country which was in a long war during most of my childhood. It feels very safe. Driving and public transportation have both been great. It is for this reason that I hesitate to bring this negative question up, and yet, I need to because this is an aspect of my research. What is with the sewage smell? I thought it was just our kitchen in Lisbon until we started traveling around, and I keep getting big whiffs of it everywhere we go. I'm trying hard to look within and decide whether I'm just being a finicky, negative person. Maybe I am. I don't know. Life, of course, is often about trade-offs and compromises. But I am saddened and surprised by the ubiquity of this odor, and I have to ask if this is just an issue in the towns we've been in so far, or if this is a thing one must just deal with living here? Or is it in some apartments and buildings, but not in others? Please forgive me if I'm coming across...well, whatever it is you may think I am coming across...I'm just trying to work it out.

Thank you.

craigandmicki
  11/16/2019 05:11 EST

to 'golgol': Yes, you're right, that odor is ubiquitous! The sewage pipes are very old in most places and have compacted sewage within, as well as less ventilation than might be needed. To us, this is a 'European' smell as it wafts through Paris, Madrid, Rome and so on, major and old cities. It's worse after a lot of rain that stirs up the mess and sends the smells into the air.

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microbrain
  11/16/2019 05:43 EST

If it is a problem with a specific sink or drain, you can try cleansing the “upper” pipes with vinegar (de limpeza—in the cleaning aisle) added to baking soda (bicarbonato de sódio) to clean out any residue that may be in a shower drain or sink traps. There are youtube videos on this. Follow after 30 mins with boiling water. There are various youtube videos on this. Note this won’t fix problems that are caused “deeper” in the drainage system.

Helene01
  11/16/2019 07:07 EST

A week ago I moved into my apartment and thought I couldn't live here, the smell was so strong. Hydrogen sulfide is a health hazard; it isn't something you live with. Although I thought it was coming from the building because it was so strong, I hired a plumber to clean the drains and check the seals around the toilets. He found that there was a gap in pipes that didn't match, put in a new collar and seals, and the odor is gone. Sewer gas occurs when there is a crack or leak in a pipe. Read AngiesList.com for an article on the subject. Good luck and health to you.

Helene01
  11/16/2019 07:18 EST

Two weeks ago I moved into my apartment and the smell was so strong I thought I couldn't live here. I thought it must be the building, but I hired a plumber to check the drains and toilets here. He found that there was a gap in the pipe where two pipes were of different sizes. He installed a new collar, cleaned the drains, and installed a new seal for the toilet. The odor is gone. Hydrogen sulfide is a health hazard; it isn't something you live with. Check AngiesList.com for an article on the subject. Sewer gas escapes when there is a crack or broken seal in a pipe. In a home, the gas escapes through a pipe on the roof. Good health and good luck.

golgol
  11/22/2019 18:37 EST

We just returned back to the U.S. last night, and I wanted to thank the three of you for your responses. It's good to know that something can be done about it, and also, that I wasn't simply being overly finicky. I have been unfortunately 'blessed' with an almost doglike sense of smell, so for a while I was just wondering if I was just being inflexible. Out of the 5 immaculate Airbnbs we stayed in, the first three (Lisbon, Caldas da Rainha, and Coimbra) had this issue in either the kitchen or the bathroom, but none in both, and the last two (Porto and Lisbon) did not have any issues anywhere. Your responses, as well as these two other places, made me feel a lot better about the whole situation. I think the country and its people are so pleasant, that when/if it became time for us to relocate, I'd be more than willing to overlook this odor in public places for the chance to live there. Within the home, no---but it's good to know that things can be done to eliminate it. Thanks so much for your responses to this post, and also for your contributions to this forum. So helpful and so thorough.

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