Why Does My Shower Drain Stink?

shower drainThere’s nothing like a warm shower in the morning to wake you up and get you ready for the day. But if you step into the shower and you’re hit with an offensive smell from your floor drain, it can really put a damper on things! We want to help you avoid this nasty problem, so today we’re going to answer the question, “Why does my shower drain stink?” and tell you what you can do to fix the problem!

Why does my shower drain stink?

When you take a shower, all of the dirt, hair and other particles that are washed off of your body are sent down the floor drain. Over time, all of that smelly stuff can build up on the walls of your drain pipes. In severe cases, your shower drain can even get clogged with gunk and prevent water from draining properly. It makes sense, then, that your shower drain can begin to stink after a while.

How can I eliminate the smell from my shower drain?

  • Take care of clogs. If the cause of your stinky shower drain is a clog, the clog will have to be fixed before the smell goes away. You can try to unclog your shower drain with a plunger or a snake, but severe clogs should be handled by the professionals at Tiger.
  • Remove buildup underneath the drain cover. If your shower drain has a cover or strainer, you’ll want to remove any hair or other particles that it has caught. After that’s done, take off your drain cover and remove any buildup that you can reach with your hands. Be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands after doing this to avoid coming in contact with bacteria!
  • Use baking soda and white vinegar. Both baking soda and white vinegar have odor-eliminating properties that can help freshen up your shower drain. Try pouring about a cup of either of them down your drain and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. After that time, boil a pot of hot water and pour it in the drain to wash the baking soda or vinegar down.
  • Clean your drain pipes. When you remove your drain cover, you might notice that the walls of your drain pipes are covered in dirt and gunk. Check out this video for a tip on how you can wash that out using a paint roller and soapy water.

If you have any questions about why your shower drain stinks, or if you’d like a plumbing system serviced or installed in your home, contact Tiger, your Glen Carbon plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor.

photo credit: Wonderlane

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