How Do You Clean Gross Smells UNDER the Tub??

My sons had bad aim, I took out the flooring, the subfloor, replaced it all, problem solved. It is actually the only way to remove the smell. Sorry

Oh, yeah, I do agree with Marda that is a large distance for it to travel and only smell it in the bathroom. More than likely you have had a toilet overflow.

When something has seeped into the sub floor - there's no cleaning it - you have to renovate.
It's doubtful a dog peeing in the next room did it - but it's not impossible.
Probably something is leaking or moisture is condensing or moist air is not vented properly or pee sometimes seeps in around the base of a toilet.

If you have any floor drains/sinks/tub you don't use regularly - the water in the trap will dry out after awhile and sewer gas will come through it into the room.
Just run/pour some water through un used fixtures once a week and it'll keep the traps filled enough to block gas from coming into your home.

In the mean time keep the room dry as possible - never let the room get steamy - run the fan when ever you use it and until the mirror isn't foggy anymore - and get some Damp Rid in there to help dry it out until you can remodel it.

We're renovating our bathroom right now. I just looked in the wall cavity that's open. There's 5-6 inches between the walls - open space except for pipes. How would pee seep through to the next wall? Doesn't make sense to me.

If you have vent problems with your plumbing or even the trap in your sink or tub - you can get sewer smells. The vent could be clogged on your roof (dead animal, leaves, etc.) or the trap (in your drain) could need to be flushed/cleared so that it keeps the gas smells from coming back into the room.

I'd be calling a plumber if it were me.

I would first try a pet enzymatic cleaner called Nature's Miracle and I would get the one for cat urine. Cat urine is the most difficult to remove, by far! If it works for cats it will work for dogs and boys with poor aim. The KEY to this stuff is to keep the area saturated. Don't just spray and wipe. And you may need to repeat, as it dries ,a few times. If it is really under the tub you will have to find a way to spray underneath. Maybe remove the old grout to get at the problem area and in the room adjacent, you may need to remove the old baseboard, spray, and put on new base.

If this doesn't work I would call a plumber. It could be an unrelated issue. I would also make sure your dog is house trained before doing any of this or it will be a waste of time and money.

time to remodel the bathroom. cleaning anything wet out of the walls is impossible. replacement its the only option

I agree with everyone else. Don't think it's the dog issue, I think something else is up. I'd call a plumber. Good luck!!

My first thought was, bad aim. I have a teen son and although he cleans the bathroom wonderfully, I know that he's the one that contributes to that shocking smell that rears its head around the toilet. No questions asked. I don't know it's laziness or what, but every once in a while when I smell it, I go through the roof lol

My suggestion is to use vinegar. It's a natural disinfectant. Whatever I use I pour over the entire toilet and within. I even lift the cover to where our backs go to pour some there too. Yes, I can be extreme lol.

Hope you find the problem and bring it to a screeching halt, soon :-)

I doubt it's the dog. It could either be mold/mildew soaking in from the tub/shower (either through a crack in the grout, a seam in the tub surround, or way more water being on the floor outside it. The other option is that you've had small rodents (e.g. mice usually, occasionally even small squirrels) and there is animal urine/feces in there. Assuming nothing has died in there - there is a nice warm space around the tub, remember.

Either way, moisture that has penetrated the subfloor cannot be cleaned. The tub has to get removed and the flooring replaced. Superficial mold can sometimes be removed but I wouldn't mess with bleach - I'd get a mold remediation company in there to do the job right. Otherwise it just grows back.

And of course, if you've had animals in there, you have to look for entry points (often where gutters meet the roof). That's for larger ones like squirrels. Mice get in no matter what, but you don't want a hospitable environment for them either. There are natural repellents/deterrents you can use but you have to fully clean everything out.

Either way - mold/mildew or animal products - these are health hazards that must be dealt with.

All of this is assuming that the horrible smell is absolutely related to the tub and not to the toilet - if you have a septic system, you should have it cleaned out, because odors can back up into the bathroom.

I can't picture how pee would go through 2 walls and the 4 or so inches in between. Is your tub's skirt down to the floor or does it have claws? My tub is attached to the floor and is caulked between the tub and floor. The tub and wall around the tub is also calked. If yours is that way, I doubt the smell is coming from under the tub. If your tub is off the floor, I suggest you look to see.if there's something on the floor.

1) Is there a bad smell in the room, next to the bathroom, in which the dog peed next to the bathroom? It would also smell.

2) Have you checked to see if something is stuck in the drain pipe of the tub and sink? A plumber would have to check because the rotten something, if there is something stuck, is likely too far down the pipe to see.

3)Is it possible a rat or some other creature has died in between the walls?

4)Is the flooring around the toilet well sealed to the stool? If not, urine can seep under the floor.

5)Is the bathroom vent open and in good condition? Most vent through the roof. It's a small pipe, perhaps 2". If it's closed, the nasty air stays in the room.

I've experienced or know people who have experienced all of the above. Unless you can mop under the tub, I know no way to get rid of the odor if it has seeped into the room unless you can mop under the tub using a product made to eliminate pet odors.

If the odor is coming from the dog peeing on the wall in the neighboring room, you will have to open the wall and clean the space in between as well as both walls.

If you mean only the odor seeped into the bathroom, I doubt that would happen. If the urine penetrated the wall, you will need to cut out that part of the wall and replace it.

Another thought: walls are covered with baseboards. They would keep the urine from getting in between the walls.

Our builder used a 90 degree angle pipe underneath our upstairs master tub. Needless to say, the hard angle was a bad idea and we had a leak running into the guest room downstairs. I'd have a plumber come in and investigate. Even if it's a slow drip underneath your tub, you can end up with mold problems.

I would pour liquid like bleach or vinegar in the same spot and just let it soak in. Then let it dry on it's own. I think it would neutralize the odor. There is also a substance called Odoban. It kills awful odors. We keep some in a spray bottle and use it on everything.