clean air

soultions, it seems to me are

1) install a small fan
2) mask the odor with mothballs (or similar - as they do in western public urinals) or with more fragrant things
3) try to absorb them - baking soda is very cheap here

You might be able to find the source of most of the odors (no I don't mean the toilet - since it is easy enough to keep a bowl clean and fragrant). Often there is a single vent.

BUT... maybe you don't need to worry since most people you'd invite over will be used to this problem?

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Ramo has a point

I think there is probably a source other than the toilet. The sewage seems to seep back into through the pipes or something. Sometimes closing the drain or running water in the sink and shower helps.

But basically it's not a fun problem

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Your bathroom in China

Having lived in China for three years I empathize with the original poster.

For keeping a bathroom germ and odor free, I am an firm believer in bleach. Bleach, bleach and more bleach. Usually you can find bottles near the laundry soap that have "BLEACH" written on them in English. For some reason the number 64 is assocoated with bleach so look for that on the bottle. Buy a spray bottle, (the kind people sometimes use to spary plants or wet their clothes begfore ironiung them). Fill the bottle with the bleach (watch out for your clothes!) and spray down your bathroom from top to bottom once a week. As bleach is cheap (7-8 rmb per large bottle), pour it straight down the sink pipes, floor drain, in and around the toilet, wash machine drain, etc. I do this at night before going to bed so that the bleach has plenty of time to work it's magic overnight. Works for me...

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oops

Yes, I knew I had forogtten something...

I forgot to mention BLEACH! Worse still, I was sure I hadn't forgotten it. Brain rot is sad.

I agree totally with Elizabeth.

(although baking soda is working for me right now I will escalate to bleach if and when the need arises)

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Damage the pipes

Do know if it's safe to put bleach in the pipes? I'd be worried about doing damage...although that's probably better than stink.

Did you ever find a printer Ramo? I'm still keeping my eyes open for you.

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Where does the stink come from?

Is it from the sink or from the shower? What is it about Chinese plumbing that brings the stink out while western bathrooms don't seem to have the same issue?

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The odor in our bathrooms

The odor in our bathrooms comes from the sink drains. Installing a P-trap would prevent the sewer gases from rising up through the drains. As a new arrival, I haven't looked for plumbing parts yet but if traps are available I will gladly replace our "pretty" drain pipes with p-traps.

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P traps

P traps or more identified as S traps are the key to your FUNK problem. The S traps hold a basin of water that prevents the gas (vapor) from rising into your flat. Installing one under the sink will be simple and cheap but you floor drains will require light home repair. Probably can be done cheaply as well because there is a special drain filter that retains a small amount of water to prevent the 'vapors'. My flat is new so doesn't have this problem but if it did I would have it fixed. I mean who wants to smell the sewage!

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pipes and printer

Bleach won't damage the pipes. The same pipes tpyically take away all manner of things (including bleach in washing machines).

as for finding a printer, I found one. Sent them 300+ books to print. They did 1 as a test. I was happy. I asked them to do 50 more. They sent me 50 but really only 35 since 15 were done twice. I mentioned this was not what I had in mind. They decided not to print any more books for me.

One of my friends thinks she has found another print shop. I sent them 2 CD's 2 days ago. Wish me luck?

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odor from Chinese bathrooms

Yes, you should make sure that s-traps are installed, also, and this is really important, pull the tolets and install wax rings. This will fix the problem. The bathroom stores probably won't know what your talking about when you ask for them, but if you show them the instruction sheet that comes inside the showroom tolets it shows wax rings. Keep trying until you find a store that can find you the rings. I live in Rizhao and was able to get them, so Qingdao shoud have them. The ones we got looked different from the ones in the states, they are not really made of wax here, but they work. Find someone that knows how to install them, we could not, but my husband knows and he instructed the workman.

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Toilets

Why would i wonder about someone else's odors when my husband make and atomic bomb each time he goes to the bathroom

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and how does that make you

and how does that make you feel as a woman?

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plumbing

Well...what is it with the smell of chinese bathrooms ....do they have broken plumbing ?

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If they can't keep their

If they can't keep their bathrooms clean I suggest the buy some portable toilets

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If they can't keep their

If they can't keep their bathrooms clean I suggest to buy some portable toilets

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Chinese toilet odours in Rizhao

I'd like to contact the person from Rizhao beacsue I'm going to live there soon.Please contact me on wapenshaw@hotmail.com

Stopping odours from toilets isn't a big problem at all. I've done it many times.

All you have to do is block up the holes that the odour is coming from. Just buy a tube of silicone sealer and go around the large pipe at the outlet of the toilet bowl with it. Then do the same where the bowl fits the floor.

Pete

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toilets

Sex-separated public washrooms are a source of difficulty for some people, such as those with children of the opposite sex, or men caring for babies when only the women's washroom has been fitted with a change table.

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