A bad smell coming from a shower drain is the last thing you expect or want as you attempt to wash away the stresses of your day in your shower tub enclosure. You want an enjoyable and relaxing shower with your favourite shower gel, and, instead, you encounter shower drain smells that make you want to exit quickly!
The good news is that a stinky shower drain isn’t uncommon, nor is it usually particularly challenging to fix. Below, you can learn all about what causes bad smells from shower drains and what you can do about them.
Why Does My Shower Drain Smell?
Before you contact your local plumbing professional for help to diagnose a smell in your shower drain, you can learn about some of the many common causes below:
A Blockage/Clog
A clogged shower drain is among the most common causes of a foul shower drain odour. Alongside a bad smell, you may also notice that the water in your shower is draining away slowly – or not at all.
Most clogged drains in showers are caused by materials and debris, such as:
- Hair
- Soap scum
- Mineral deposits
- Sand
- Dirt
- Small foreign objects
Clogs can be caused by these materials individually or collectively. For example, a wad of hair can bind together with soap to create a pipe blockage that causes both foul odours and slow-draining water.
A Dry or Problematic P-Trap
The P-trap is a plumbing fitting that stops sewer gases and smells from entering your house through the shower drain. It’s U-shaped and connects to your main stack. It’s typically located underneath the shower and can be accessed with the help of an insured and licensed plumber.
Most of the time, shower P-traps hold enough water to stop gases from the sewer line from coming up through your shower drain. However, smelling a sewage-like smell may mean that the P-trap isn’t working as it should.
If you don’t use that shower often, the water in the P-trap may have simply dried up. In that case, you may be able to solve your sewage-like smells simply by running the water.
However, if you regularly use the shower and still notice that your shower drain smells like sewage , there may be an issue with the P-trap. Search ‘plumber repairs near me’ and find a trusted plumbing service provider in your area to investigate further.
A Buildup of Biofilm
Biofilm is a slimy substance that forms from bacteria and bacterial waste. It’s common in shower drains, bird baths, river rocks, and even on your teeth between brushes! You will most likely find a pink-orange-type biofilm in your shower consisting of the bacteria Serratia marcescens. It can produce a musty and unpleasant odour.
A Leaking Pipe
While the most common causes of bad smells coming from shower drains are easy enough for the average property owner to solve, a leaking pipe may be something you call in trusted commercial or residential plumbing service providers for.
When you have pipe leaks in bathroom walls or under your shower, sewer gases (hydrogen sulfide) can escape. You may then notice that your shower drain smells like sewer systems, with an odour akin to rotten eggs. Don’t delay calling a trusted emergency plumber in your area to identify and fix your leaking pipe.
What NOT to Do
As soon as you notice an awful smell from a shower drain, your tub shower enclosure, or walk-in shower, it can be tempting to arm yourself with a bottle of bleach and get to work. After all, bleach can provide a ‘fresh’ smell you may desperately need.
However, most plumbing businesses would not recommend bleach for solving plumbing problems like bad smells for the following reasons:
- It can damage pipes – bleach is corrosive and can eat away at pipes over time, causing them to leak, burst, or crack
- It can damage plumbing fixtures and appliances, such as destroying rubber gaskets, damaging garburators, and discolouring drains and sinks
- It can be harmful to health by irritating lungs, skin, and eyes
- It can cause chemical reactions when coming into contact with other drain cleaning products and even organic matter
- It kills good bacteria in septic tanks, which may lead to a buildup of wastewater and clogs
How to Get Rid of the Bad Smell Coming From Your Shower Drain
You now know why there’s a bad smell coming from your shower drain, but that doesn’t mean you know how to get rid of smelly drains in showers. Consider taking the following steps:
Step 1: Remove the Shower Strainer
Being able to access the source of your bad shower smell is the first step toward saying goodbye to it. As a result, you’ll need to remove the strainer that sits over the top of your shower drain.
Most shower strainers have two Phillips screws holding them in place, so you’ll need a Phillips screwdriver to remove them. Once the screws are removed, you can lift the strainer up. If you’re struggling to lift it, use a flathead screwdriver or another flat tool to help.
Step 2: Clean the Strainer and Shower Drain
Put on a pair of gloves because it’s time to get rid of the source of that nasty smell coming from your shower drain! As you lift the shower strainer, you may notice an accumulation of debris underneath it, such as hair, soap scum, and general debris.
Remove any debris from the drain opening and use a sponge with warm, soapy water to clean inside and around the drain opening.
If your shower drain appears particularly unclean and affected by debris, create a cleansing mix with disinfectant and water to thoroughly clean it. In the process, try to remove as much debris, like hair and soap scum, as possible from around the drainpipe. A drain cleaning tool or an old toothbrush can be helpful for this.
Alternatively, purchase a small foam paint roller head attachment for cleaning. Soak it in soap and water and insert it into the drainpipe to loosen and remove debris.
Step 3: Disinfect Your Shower Drain
Removing debris is a great step toward eliminating foul odours from your shower drain. Now, you can finish off the cleaning process by disinfecting the drain. Use gentle everyday household staples like white vinegar and baking soda rather than reaching for harsh residential and commercial drain cleaner products.
Cleaning and disinfecting your drain can often be as straightforward as pouring a cup of baking soda down your shower drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain and leave it for a few minutes so the ingredients can fizz and combine. Once a few minutes have passed, rinse the mixture down the drain with hot water. You may need to repeat this process a few times to completely eliminate the smell and start enjoying fresh, clean drains again.
Related Topic: Why There’s a Sulfur Smell Coming from Your Drain
How to Prevent Bad Smells Coming From Shower Drains
Most homeowners would happily do whatever it takes to stop their shower drains from smelling. After all, you want to enjoy your shower after a hard day of work, not put up with a foul stench!
Prevention methods can depend on the cause of awful smells, but you may be able to prevent shower smells in the following ways:
Clean the Drain Regularly
A buildup of hair, soap scum, and other debris in shower drains is a common cause of an odour coming from a shower drain. If you don’t allow this debris to build up, you may not experience bad smells. Get into the habit of regularly removing the drain cover and cleaning out any debris inside.
Flush Out the Drain Regularly
Alongside cleaning out debris that builds up in your shower drain, you can also get into the habit of flushing out the drain regularly with gentle cleaning mixtures. Equal parts baking soda and vinegar left to fizz in your shower drain for a few minutes can be a helpful way to cleanse and disinfect them.
Use Your Showers Often
When there are multiple showers in a house, it’s not uncommon for some to be used more than others. While this might not seem problematic, an infrequently used shower can cause its P-trap to dry out. Once it’s dry, sewer smells can start to enter your home.
If you can’t use all showers in your home regularly, run the water in them frequently to reduce the risk of their P-traps drying out.
Inspect Ventilation Systems
We expect our homes’ ventilation systems to work at their best all the time, but that doesn’t always happen. If your ventilation system is faulty, sewer gases can waft up through drains and become trapped in your home. Many people then find that their shower drain stinks like sewage. Find a plumber in your area with experience in ventilation systems to diagnose and repair any possible problems. You can then say goodbye to that bad smell coming from your shower drain.
Check for Plumbing Issues
Plumbing issues can sometimes cause bad smells in and around showers, especially relating to plumbing leaks in walls and under showers. You might not know how to find a water leak in house plumbing, but the good news is that your local plumbing service providers likely do.
Whether you suspect a plumbing issue based on a smell coming from a shower drain or want to ensure there are none, contact a local plumbing services provider in your area for advice and to inspect your property.
Plumber Services Near Me: Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing for Bad Smell Shower Solutions
Your days of putting up with awful smells emanating from your shower are over! Alongside exploring some of these home solutions above, you can also contact a trusted Mr. Rooter Plumbing service provider in your area.
We can identify the source of your foul shower smell for your peace of mind, be it a buildup of debris or an undiagnosed pipe leak. Contact us today to discuss your options, request a job estimate, or book your plumbing service.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing Near Me: Why Choose Us?
If your shower drain smells bad, you need a well pump service, require an outdoor faucet repair, or want to book sewer drain cleaning, you can rely on your locally owned and operated Mr. Rooter Plumbing throughout Canada.
We are a trusted name in the industry for many reasons:
- We are locally owned and operated
- We stand behind our parts and workmanship with guarantees
- We are professional and courteous
- Many of our locations don’t charge overtime fees
- We boast over 50 years of industry experience
- Our service providers are licensed and insured
- Many of our locations offer in-home estimates and upfront flat-rate pricing
