Showers can be a great way to unwind after a stressful day at work. You can’t imagine anything better after a stressful day at work than getting in the shower and letting the water relax you. Showers can also be embarrassing. There are many reasons why a shower can smell bad.
Identifying the Source of the Smell
If you notice strange new drain smells in your bathroom, you need to first note the type of noxious odor so that you can determine where it is coming from.
Dry or dirty P-Trap
If the smell of sewage is evident in your shower drain, this could be a sign that your P trap isn’t effective at preventing sewer gasses from leaking into your bathroom. If your P-trap is still blocked and you are experiencing a musty or general odor, it may be time to clean it.
What is a Shower P trap and how can it cause odors?
A P-trap is a drain fitting that can be added to bathrooms. This particular piece of plumbing is intended to stop sewer gases from backing up through your drain system. The trap contains water, which creates a seal to prevent bad smells from returning to your home.
If the P-trap is empty or dried out, odors can easily be emitted into your bathroom via the shower drain. It is easy to inspect it by shining a flashlight at the surface and checking for water damage.
How to Clean Shower P-Traps
Check for debris in the trap to clean this section of pipe. To remove any debris that may be stuck in the pipe, use a paper towel or a rag to clean it.
After all the debris has been removed, fill the bathroom sink with cold water and pour it into your P-trap. Make sure there are no air pockets. This will help flush out any other blockages that may be causing the unpleasant odor.
Leaky Pipes
It’s possible that your shower is smelling like sulfur or rotting eggs. This could indicate that your drain lines are clogged. You can find common causes for a smelly shower drain, including corroded pipes, faulty valves and dripping faucet joints.
What Causes Leaky Pipes
These leaks can be the most irritating of shower smells. They release sulfurous gases that can smelt like rotten eggs and can contaminate your drain system.
Common causes for a smelly shower drain are corrosion of sections of the pipe and loose joints such as those under your toilet seat or on your sink taps.
How to fix leaky pipes
You can eliminate the unpleasant smell of showers from your drain system by tightening every corroded joint. Also, replace any sections of pipe that are rusting. Although this can seem daunting, it is essential for maintaining a safe environment in the bathroom.
Biofilm Buildup
If you are unable to clear a drain clog with a plunger it is likely that biofilm has formed inside the bowl. This prevents water from draining out.
This is one of the most common causes for a smelly shower drain. It happens when water stops flowing through the pipes in the bathroom. As a result, things begin to rot faster and give off unpleasant odors.
What is Biofilm?
Biofilm is a film which forms inside drain pipes when hair, debris and other materials begin to decompose. You may experience a stench in your shower due to dirt, dust or other foreign objects.
How to Get Rid of Biofilm
Once you have identified the source of the smell in your home, you will need to clean the pipe under the bathroom sink as well as the areas between them. Because they are difficult to reach, this section of drain line is often the hardest to clean out. You will need an enzyme-based product to destroy the biofilm. Unclean maintenance can lead to buildup in shower drains.
Drain Clogs
You must immediately address any hair- or other debris-clogged drain lines to prevent the smell from getting worse. Drain clogs and leaks are common causes of a smelly shower drain. This is because water that sits too long under a house begins to rot faster.
What causes clogs in the shower?
The main causes of shower drain blockages are overflowing bathtubs and heavy use. However, these problems can also occur due to the buildup of dirt or other foreign objects in your home’s plumbing. Clogs can occur for many reasons, including:
- Hair
- Dast
- Sand
- Small Items
- Soap scum
- Dirt
- Mineral Deposits
How to Clear a Clog in Your Drain
To clear a blockage in your drain, remove the face shield from the plunger. This will allow you to grip the plunger better before you plunge it into the obstruction. This is one of the most common causes of a stenchy shower drain. It requires you to hold the dirty p trap with one hand and then plunge with the other.