i have a question about the plumbing in our bathroom. the bathtub drain stinks like rotten eggs, and i would like to know if there is anything that can be done about it. we live in an apartment building and are on the ground floor (5 floors total). the plumber told us that there is nothing he can do, and that we are getting the back-up of all the rest of the floors. if the plug is not kept in the drain when the tub is not in use, you would really want to throw up! the problem is mostly with the tub, but i also noticed it today coming from around the sink, although the sink itself didn´t smell.
is there anything we can do about it?

Well it could be a problem in your trap.

Dry letting the drain dry (at the bottom of the tub) then spoon in about two cups of baking soda, tapping it down to settle into the trap. Leave it over night.

Baking soda absorbs smells -

The next morning, or better yet, the next evening (if you can go that long with out using the tub) Pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the drain.

It will foam, it will foam like crazy. It may not drain the first time, so pour in another cup, Expect more foam.

Then run warm water in the tub - sooner or later it will drain.

If that doesn't take care of the smell, then it is in the deeper plumbing, not the trap.

Nothing you can do about that.

It is possible that sewer gasses are building up, which means that the roof vent is clogged. That would require the building owner/manager to call in a professional with a very long snake (for a 5 story building) and run it down through the vent pipes.

Try the baking soda. If it reduces the smell, but doesn't' completely cure the problem, there are other similar products on the market, you local home store or hardware store may be able to help you.

David

Your problem is not dirty pipes or traps. What is probably happening, is that when a large amount ( or even moderatly) of water is draining from above, it is going at such a speed that it sucks all the water out of your tub trap, leaveing space for sewer gasses to filter back into your bathroom... Something tells me that there was some very poor pre-construction planning..
I'm afraid that there is probably nothing that can be done now...(except keep the plug in)..
By the way, sewer gasses are very explosive, so be careful....
You know something-the more I look at my previous sentence, I think you could be in a very bad and dangerous situation if my theroy is correct...If I were in your situation, I believe that a call to your local health or building code department would be in order...
Since you live in an apartment building and no doubt have a lease, if what I have stated is true ( or even not) the fact that your have sewer gasses present and can do nothing about it, then you have a legal right to have your lease cancelled...(of course, check with a shark first to make sure...) Good luck...Let us know the results...