Dear Bucky,
First, what does the smell resemble? Sewer gas does not always smell like sewer gas. Check the traps under your basin and/or tub. If they are leaking they are allowing the odor through the traps; or they simply evacuated themselves. I've had situations where a trap leaked under a basin and the resulting mold under the cabinet smelled like methane. What I would do is clean the entire bathroom and wait a day. Then on my hands and knees, peform a "sniff test" around all suspect areas.
Good luck,
Len
P.S. It could be a mouse. Those little buggers can get into the darndest places. I've actually drilled holes in each stud bay before I found them.

[This message has been edited by Iceman (edited January 24, 2002).]

I'll share 2 experiences:
I had a flying squirrel get into a wall through the attic and die there.
I had a very slow drip under a pedestal sink that was rotting the floor where you couldn't see it. Didn't find it until the smell was noticeable.

Hi Bucky,
Besides what has been mentioned,I've run into odor problems if water stands in ductwork,aluminum stud material,and other metal.Unfortunatly,this odor resembles a dead animal or rotting garbage.Let us know what the outcome is.

[This message has been edited by Matches (edited January 24, 2002).]

Update: AC guy came, could find nothing. I have searched everywhere and found nothing but the funny thing is that the smell is starting to go away. After replacing the beeswax on the toilet, bleach out the ying yang down the drain and toilet (no tub in this room), maybe I hit upon something or maybe the dead "thing" has finished decomposing...??? Thanks for all your thoughts and help. I keep you updated if I actually find something!!!

Bucky

OK, we still have the smell, brought plumber out, $500 later, the smell is still there. One theory is that someone painted over wall paper 2/3 yrs ago and the chemical breakdown is causing the smell. Anyone ever heard of such a thing?

Dear Bucky,
After the e-mails, I'm out of ideas. But for Merlin, Have you ever wondered why, when you left the bathroom, the smell disapears?
Len

We have foul smell as well. Maybe that time of year. Especially by the look from this subject last year.

We too have a foul smell coming from upstairs master bathroom. What we did:
1). We did a thorough cleaning.
2). Discovered area around toilet was soft.
3). Pulled toilet...found water damage extending through both 1/4" and 3/4" subfloors fortunately ceiling was okay--Whew!!
4) We replaced subfloors and wax ring.
5) Still had smell so 3 different plumbers suggested several ideas.
6). Removal of toilet and recheck of flooring, replaced wax rings, poured bleach down sinks, shower, tub, sink overflow, A/C drain tube and the list goes on.
7) $1400 later we are no closer to solving smell problem. Today, we cut through ceiling from the downstairs directly under toilet and that has yeilded no leads either. Anyone want to venture a guess. We will take anything else at this point.
Exhausted,
Steve and Tawnya

If you have a septic system you should check the vent that goes from your septic line through the roof. It should be a 4 inch pipe which vents gases from the lines. Sometimes birds or squirrels will build nests in them trapping the odors which then escape wherever they can inside the house. I use a piece of old pantyhose leg to close up the top of the vent and keep critters out. Seems to work...