Korean Job Discussion Forums

[funkycoll]

Can anyone give advice about fixing this problem?

There is a nasty sewage smell that comes up the pipes in my bathroom. I have asked my hogwon to ask my landlady to send a plumber, 6 times now since I moved here a month ago, but nothing much has been done. The fifth time I asked for help, my landlady came with two men who had a wrench, they talked in my bathroom for about 5 minutes, they didn't use the wrench, and then my landlady poured a bottle of bleach down the drain and they left. They all spoke Korean so I couldn't communicate with them, and apparently my landlady doesn't return my hogwons phone calls (which they may or may not be making, who knows?) My apartment smelled like bleach for a few days, then the smell came back. When I talk to my supervisor about this, I get the feeling that she thinks I am a big pain in the neck, and I don't want to get on management's bad side, because I depend on them to do so many things for me and I am here for 11 more months.

Advice about how to fix the smell, or how to get my hogwon/landlady to get on it.

Thanks.

[OiGirl]

A plumber can't help you unless they put in an S curve, and they're not going to do that. A simple thing that we're used to in the West. you can do the bleach thing every week or so, they also make mothball-like things to dangle in the drain. You can get a cover for the drain when you're not using it (also improves your Feng Shui) and burn candles in the bathroom.

Good luck!

[ChuckECheese]

If it's the plumbing problem, I don't think we English teacher can't really help.

You just need a Korean speaking person to call the plumber.

Or you can start eating kimchi to offset the smell.

[Qinella]

Well, first of all, if you haven't tried this, take off the grate and clean it off. Soak it in bleach or something. Then, get some drain-o, or whatever the equivalent of it is here. Buy like 4 bottles. Use them properly over the course of a few days or a week.

That worked for me in my smelly apartment. Cool thing for me was, not only did the drain smell, but there was 3 inches of water that had been standing for a month before I arrived. Was naaaaaas.

[Thunndarr]

If you have a drain in the middle of the floor, put a bucket over it. Yes, it's a very low tech solution. No, I am not joking.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Candles work wonders.

[princess]

You could also put a washcloth over the drain and put a plant or scented candle on top.

[Jarome_Turner]

I have been experiencing this exact problem in my villa over the past few months. I've complained to my land lady a couple of times. The first time, she told me it was because the septic tank (I didn't even know we had one) was due to be cleaned and once it was, the smell would disappear. The following day the truck came and pumped the tank, the smell stayed.
A few days later I went and asked her about it again, saying the smell stayed even after the tank had been drained. She told me she'd see what she could do. About 10 minutes later she showed up at my door with a round cutout piece of linolium (sp?) flooring for me to put over the drain when I'm not using it. Bit of a "band-aid" solution, but works nontheless.

[hubba bubba]

Ah yes, you have stankdrain. So do I. Very common problem in Korea.


Unfortunately, there is not real cure for stankdrain. But if you take precautions, you can live happily with your disease.

Stankdrain comes from grossness growing in your pipes. It's treated with harsh chemicals. You will want to wash your the metal grate part of your drain, and the plastic bucket type thing for starters. Then you will want to pour a mixture of boilion water and draino into the drains. Whatever you use to mix this solution will be ruined. Next, pour bleach down your drain. Follow that with another draino-boiling water solution. Let it sit, and then rinse your drain thoroughly. You might want to by a cover for the drian as well.

Do this about once a month to keep your drains clean. Be warned that the fumes might burn your eyes when you shower for the next few days.

And don't forget, to tell your partner that you have stankdrain.

hubba

[Roch]

[sock]

How to fix the smell:

Flush with (as other posters have said)
Boiling water.
Lye.
Boiling water.
Lye.
Boiling water.

If company's coming, try a cup of baking soda down the trap, chased with a cup or two of straight vinegar. It's a temporary solution--too acidic for most odor-causing bacteria--but a way you can avoid the nasty, toxic bleach fumes.

How to get the hogwan/landlady to get on it:

Ask the kids at the hogwan if they know what happens when you keep your cute, fuzzy hamsters in the bathroom. Answer: They fall down the drain and rot there. Mention this right before the end of class. Ask the kids if they'd like to come and smell your dead hamster.

Call the landlady every hour on the hour between midnight and 6 am. Tell her your bathroom isn't working and ask if you can come over right away and use hers.

Look for the hottest moms of kids at the hogwan. Wink slyly and ask if you can move in, due to your place not being functional. If they say no, look sad and say, "that's okay ... I'll just sleep in front of the hogwan again." This is more effective if you have a cardboard box and newspaper already set up.

Toss some gunpowder or other explosive/flammable material down the drain. Follow with a q-tip that you've lit on fire (less likely to go out than a lit match). Not really sure what will happen, but it seems to do the trick in a lot of the cartoons I've seen.

Pour concrete down the drain, and seal 'er up. You probably don't really use it that much anyway. Besides, the smell of you not showering is probably no worse than the smell of the drain.

Call the police, report that you can smell a dead body in your basement. Give landlady's address.

Offer to trade housing with all of the other FTs, although they'll probably be on to you if they visit Dave's like you do.

Failing that, move.

[Nambucaveman]

I like Qinella's idea. Also get some liquid plumber (you can find it at any big store) and dump some down the drain, wait 30 minutes and flush it with water. If it still smells I'd try it again. You just never know, maybe there's something dead in your pipes.

[OiGirl]

[sock]

It is very caustic so sometimes it's hard to find. I would try asking at a pharmacy, then maybe a hardware store. Knowing the Korean name would probably come in handy too, although I can't help you there.

It's used to make soap, so you can always tell people that you're using it to make your own soap. You can also make it yourself if you have access to a large pile of ash, but I don't see that as a realistic possibility.

[OiGirl]

All things considered, I'm thinking making my own pile of ash might be the easiest way.