To ensure your bathroom smells good on top of looking good, you need a trap. More specifically, odour traps that are fitted to all wastewater pipes to help create the perfect indoor climate. Traps on the wash basin or in the kitchen ensure that the used water swiftly disappears down the drain to prevent unpleasant smells in the bathroom. What are the common types of trap? How are these odour eliminators cleaned and installed? There are various systems on the market, and trend-conscious consumers are increasingly purchasing designer models.
We have innovative solutions for wash basins with or without an overflow. We also offer space-saving traps that leave more room in our bathroom furniture, as the top drawers in the vanity unit no longer require a cut-out with these traps.
The wash basin’s drain above the trap is often opened and closed using a pull rod on the basin tap. A push-open valve is perfect for basin taps without a pull rod. Intuitively pressing it very simply opens or closes the valve in the drain.
The odour-stopping trap can also be used in hansgrohe kitchen sinks, regardless of whether the design features one or two sink basins. Good to know: As kitchen taps do not have a pull rod, the sink requires its own waste and overflow set.
Understated design, perfect functionality: Consumers expect this from a waste system designed to make their wastewater disappear, never to be seen again. These systems are used when washing hands, bathing and showering, and in the toilet and bidet. In essence, a trap is the bend in the waste system. Where it is used will influence its shape, which creates the water seal. First of all, let’s take a closer look at how the trap works.
Odour traps do their job covertly and they all work in the same way: The trap contains water. This seals the drain pipe to prevent sewer gases from penetrating into your living space. Because you really do not want any of those smells in your home. As soon as you turn on the tap, it replaces the water in the trap. Keep it clean and the trap will clean itself.
In short: Bathrooms need long-lasting high-quality traps to reliably fulfil their odour-neutralising duties. Regardless of which model you choose.
Which odour traps are usually used in households?
Side note: In the sanitation sector, a distinction is also made between concealed traps and exposed traps.
The trap is a necessary component in every sanitation system, but it can also visually enhance your bathroom. While traps for kitchen sinks, showers or bath tubs are usually tucked away, those on wash basins sometimes protrude into the room. We recommend you purchase a designer trap to ensure the odour trap fits in with your bathroom’s style. hansgrohe offers both standard traps and designer models such as Flowstar. These beautifully designed products will really draw attention to your wash basin.
In short: Traps are free to look good and fit in with a modern bathroom ambience. Designer traps stay looking good for a long time because they are made of robust materials and are elegantly chrome-plated. They are also easy to install and easy to clean, so they really do shine.
Standard traps for the wash basin are easy to install yourself. For most models, you don’t even need tools. Tip: When you undo the old trap, place a container underneath it to collect the residual water. Then install the new trap as a connecting element between the wash basin and the drain. Make sure the rubber seals are carefully positioned here. To check you have fitted the trap correctly, fill up the wash basin with water and then let it all drain away. If no water leaks, everything is fine. However, if the trap does leak, you need to find the cause. It probably was not screwed tight enough, but it is best to check the installation again, step by step.
If you do ever notice an unpleasant odour in the bathroom or kitchen, this may be because no fresh water has run through the drain pipe in a long time. In this case, simply turn on the basin tap for longer than usual. This will displace the old trap water – and the smell should disappear. If it does not (and the water continues to not drain away properly), hair is probably stuck in the pipe and clogging it up. If drain cleaners, cola, baking powder or other household remedies are of no use, there is only one thing for it: Unscrew the trap, take it apart and clean it. This is easy to do at the wash basin, bidet or kitchen sink:
By the way: Leaky or porous trap seals can allow water to escape. Please replace them. You can find new seals and lots of other spare parts for your plumbing system in the hansgrohe spare parts catalogue.