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If your drain doesn’t have metal crosshairs or crossbars, you should use a tub drain extractor. These tools create a grip on the drain so you can turn it using a 1/2-inch ratchet drive, drain key, or wrench. Your drain may not have crosshairs if it's old and broken.

There are a few things that can happen to your sewer system if you don’t fix it. These include rainwater entering it and causing rust and corrosion, dirt and debris leading to blockages, small animals getting stuck inside and clogging your sewer line or entering your home, and shortening the sewer system’s life span. 

Without a cap, nothing prevents toxic and non-toxic gasses like methane and hydrogen sulfide from slowly escaping your sewer system and entering your home and the surrounding atmosphere, resulting in a foul sewer odor throughout your house.

That pungent rotten egg smell coming from your drain is likely the buildup of biofilm—hair, skin, and soap scum that turns into a black sticky mess. In this case, pouring down near-boiling water, baking soda, and white vinegar will remove the smell. Keep in mind that a rotten egg smell is occasionally a sign of larger sewage line clogs and other related issues.

It’s generally safe to stay in a house that smells like sewage, but you should get the problem fixed as soon as possible. In most cases, the level of sewer gas you’re exposed to in a home will be low enough to only cause minor symptoms, though high levels of gas exposure can be more dangerous. If you’re smelling sewer gas in your home, it’s important to locate, assess, and fix the problem, because it won’t go away on its own.