How to make stagnant water not smell?

Author: Cleta Roob  |  Last update: Friday, October 10, 2025

The most common reason for the odor is stagnant water in your plumbing system, particularly within the hot water heater. The best way to eliminate the odor is to purge your plumbing system by completely emptying your hot water heater.

What kills the smell of stagnant water?

Chlorination can kill sulfur bacteria. If all bacteria are not destroyed by chlorination, the problem may return within a few weeks. Increase the water heater temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius) for several hours. This will destroy the sulfur bacteria.

How do you neutralize stagnant water?

How to Get Rid of Stagnant Water
  1. Rent the Right Equipment. Keep the job manageable by renting water removal and drying equipment. ...
  2. Remove Stagnant Water. First, pump out deep pools of standing water. ...
  3. Tear Out Damaged Materials. ...
  4. Start the Drying Process. ...
  5. Clean and Disinfect. ...
  6. Replace and Restore.

How do you get rid of stale water smell?

Vinegar: Put white vinegar in bowls and place the bowls throughout the room. The vinegar will remove the odor within a couple of days. Cat Litter: Put clean cat litter in small, open containers and place the containers around the room. Make sure you change the cat litter for better deodorization.

How do you make water odorless?

Removing odor from water can be done through treatment in the form of activated carbon or oxidation-reduction. Aeration is also another treatment method which can be used as long as the contaminants are gas sources, such as hydrogen sulfide.

Sink Smells Bad, Remove Odor From Overflow Hole, Clean With Enzyme Cleaner

How to remove odour from water naturally?

The most common method of killing odor-causing bacteria in water is to inject liquid chlorine into the water as it flows through your pipes. You might also choose to use a chlorine pellet feeder or even a metering pump with hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine.

How do I fix smelly tap water?

Disinfecting, cleaning and flushing the drain should eliminate the odor. The reservoir/pressure tank may also be the source of such an odor. Cleaning and maintaining the reservoir/ pressure tank periodically can prevent bacteria from growing to levels that cause odor in the water.

Why does stagnant water smell bad?

If the water is stagnant, you may start to smell rotten eggs, especially in the spring when the weather and temperature change. When the oxygen supply is low, bacteria break down the waste at the bottom of the pond or lake.

How long does it take for smelly water to go away?

Turn all faucets inside and outside the home fully open. Let the water run for 10 minutes, then turn off the water. This will flush out all the pipes in the home.

What absorbs musty smells?

Baking soda and vinegar are often regarded as some of the best natural cleaning ingredients given their inherent deodorizing properties. When using these ingredients to remove the smell of must, simply place a bowl of either baking soda or vinegar in the affected room overnight to absorb the musty odors.

How do you purify stagnant water?

Common household iodine (or “tincture of iodine”).

Add five drops of 2% tincture of iodine to each quart or liter of water that you are disinfecting. If the water is cloudy or colored, add 10 drops of iodine. Stir and let the water stand for at least 30 minutes before use.

Can you add anything to stagnant pond water to stop it from smelling?

Beneficial bacteria products help to reduce smells by breaking down waste substances. Supplementing with natural bacteria products and adding activated carbon to the filter box can also provide effective filtration, removing harsh chemicals and substances that cause smelly water.

How to get rid of stagnant water smell from carpet?

Use baking soda or borax
  1. Make sure your carpet is dry.
  2. Mix warm water and vinegar (2:1) in a spray bottle. Spritz the solution over the affected areas of the carpet. ...
  3. Sprinkle baking soda over the smelly areas. ...
  4. Let the solution sit overnight.
  5. Vacuum up the powder from the carpet, ensuring that no product is left behind.

What is needed to prevent foul smell of stagnated water?

Flush the Water Heater: Periodically flushing the water heater to remove any sediment and bacteria buildup can also help prevent bad smells. Install a Whole-House Water Filter: If the problem persists, you may need to install a filter that can remove sulfur and other impurities from the water.

Can you get sick from smelling stagnant water?

You can get Legionnaires' disease if you breathe in tiny droplets of water containing bacteria that cause the infection. It's usually caught in places like hotels, hospitals or offices where the bacteria have got into the water supply. It's less common to catch it at home.

Which substance removes smell from water?

Chlorine bleach can effectively remove medium to high levels (over 6 mg/l) of hydrogen sulfide. The chlorine in the bleach chemically reacts with (oxi- dizes) the hydrogen sulfide eliminating the "rotten egg" odor. Chlorine bleach also reacts with iron or manganese, and disinfects water supplies.

How to get rid of the smell of stagnant water?

Regularly clean your water feature and any other items such as pumps and filters to prevent the buildup of sediment. Remove debris and organic matter from your pond or fountain to stop the water from stagnating. Apply cleaning products to keep your water healthy and happy!

Is it OK to shower in stinky water?

In conclusion, water that smells like sulfur is generally safe to shower in, but it can be unappealing. If you're concerned about the smell, you may want to contact your local water utility or a plumber to have your water tested. They can help determine the cause of the smell and provide solutions to address it.

How to get rid of dirty water smell?

Pollution of well water from surface drainage

If the problem is in the well, shock chlorinate the well and pump out plenty of water until the smell of chlorine disappears. If the problem persists, consider installing: An activated carbon filter or. An automatic chlorinator followed by an activated carbon filter.

What is the cheapest way to remove sulfur from well water?

The Cheapest Solution: Degassing the Water

Simply pour the water into a glass and let it sit for 24 hours. The air will oxidize the sulphur out of the water and then the smell will be gone. Now, obviously, if you want more than a glass or two of water a day, you're going to want a whole-house solution.

What bacteria grow in stagnant water?

Stagnant water conditions typically result in biofilm formation, which can harbor and grow dangerous waterborne pathogens, such as legionella. In turn, there's a higher probability that standing water contains dangerous waterborne pathogens, such as legionella.

How to get rid of smelly pond water?

Aeration and circulation are the keys to combating foul odors in a pond. By adding supplemental aeration with a surface aerator unit or an aerating style fountain, you can assist nature in cleaning the water.

How to filter smelly water?

Odors are best eliminated by first applying an OXIDANT, followed (usually) by FILTER MEDIA. In some cases, aeration combined with carbon filter media alone can be used if the odor is low to moderate, although no disinfection will take place with aeration alone.

Why does trapped water smell so bad?

Hydrogen sulfide is the gas most likely to cause this sewage smell. It is commonly caused by bacteria that form in your hot water heater when it is run at low temperatures or turned off for a period of time. Hydrogen sulfide can be smelled at levels as low as . 5 parts per million.

What is done to rid the water of bad smells?

Chlorination is done to remove the foul smell of water.

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