Showers are generally a soothing part of the day for most people. You can’t think of anything better than getting into the shower and letting the water take away all your stress after a long, stressful day at work. Showers, on the other hand, maybe rather embarrassing at times. Many different causes may be behind unpleasant showers.
Identifying the Source of the stench
When strange new shower drain smells make you wrinkle your nose in the restroom, the first thing you should do is take note of what kind of noxious smell it has so that you can figure out where it’s originating.
1. Dry or Dirty P-Trap
If your shower drain has a sewage odour, it’s an indication that your P-trap isn’t working as intended. It’s possible that if you’re dealing with a mustier or general stench and your P-trap is still clogged, it needs to be cleaned.
What Is a Shower P-Trap, and How Can It Cause Odors?
Many bathrooms come with an extra drain fitting called a P-trap. Common causes of smelly shower drains are often due to this particular piece of plumbing, which is designed to prevent sewer gases from backing up into your house through your drain system. The trap itself contains water that creates a seal that prevents the bad smells from coming back up into the home.
If there’s no water in the P-trap or it has dried out, then odours will easily waft up into the bathroom through the shower drain and around your feet as you use your facility. This makes inspecting it easy since all you have to do is shine a flashlight at it and see whether it looks dry or free of water.
How to Clean Shower P-Traps
Check for any debris in the trap of this section of pipe before cleaning it out. Get an old rag or paper towel to collect any objects blocking its flow if it appears that something is caught inside. Once all trash has been removed from within, fill your bathroom sink tub with ice water and pour it into the P-trap until full. This can be used to flush out any other sort of blockage that might be causing the terrible odour.
2. Leaky Pipes
If your shower smells like rotting eggs or sulfur, it’s usually a sign that there’s a leak somewhere in the drain lines under your home. Common causes of smelly shower drain like this can include faulty valves, corroded pipes and dripping faucet joints among other things.
What Can Cause Leaky Pipes?
Leaks in your sink or bathtub drain can give off gases that smell like rotten eggs and travel up through the system, giving you one of the most unpleasant showers smells. Corroded sections of pipe and lose joints, such as those on your sink faucets or under your toilet seat, are two common sources of stinky shower drains.
How to Fix Leaking Pipes
To get rid of shower smells coming from your drain system due to leaking pipes, you’ll need to tighten every corroded joint and replace sections of pipe that could be rusting away. This can be a daunting task but one that’s absolutely necessary for maintaining a safe living environment inside the bathroom.
3. Biofilm Buildup
If you can’t clear a drain clog with a plunger, it’s probable that biofilm has developed inside the bowl and is blocking water from draining. This situation might be caused by this because as soon as water does not flow through the bathroom’s pipe system, everything begins to rot and decay at a quicker rate, producing foul odours.
What is Biofilm?
When hair and other debris begin to decay and decompose, a biofilm may form on the insides of drain pipes. Dirt, dust, and other foreign objects can all be found in one sticky layer inside your home’s drain system, which is the cause of foul-smelling shower drains.
How to Clear Out Biofilm
Once you’ve identified where the smell is coming from in your house, you’ll need to clean out all sections of pipe in the area under your bathroom sink and in between these points. This section of the drain line is usually where most people have trouble getting rid of tough blockages or odours because they’re difficult to access.
In order to break down the biofilm, you’ll need a special enzyme-based product that targets bacteria and germs in general, as well as a few other tricks up your sleeve. Common causes of smelly shower drains may include unclean maintenance on these areas leading to buildup.
4. Drain Clogs
If your shower drain is smelling awful due to a clog caused by hair or other materials, you’ll have to deal with it right away before the stench becomes any more unpleasant. Drain blockages and leaks are two of the most typical causes of foul-smelling shower drains. When water remains beneath the house for an extended period of time, it begins to rot and decay at a much quicker rate, which
What Causes Clogs in the Shower?
The most common causes of clogs in your shower drain include heavy use and overflow from the bathtub, but these problems can also be caused by the accumulation of dirt and other foreign objects that block up your home’s plumbing system. Drain blockages are frequent since numerous causes might easily lead to clogs, including:
- Hair
- Sand
- Small items
- Soap scum
- Dirt
- Mineral Deposits
How to Clear a Drain Clog
If you have a blockage in your shower drain, the first thing you should do is take off your face shield so you can gain a firmer grip on the plunger before inserting it into the obstruction. This sort of foul-smelling shower drain may be caused by a variety of factors, some of which are difficult to resolve since they need you to use one hand inside the filthy p-trap while using the other for the plunge – which is unpleasant at best.
If you are dealing with a smelly shower, we got you covered. Get in touch with our team today at 074 967 2234. Our team of experts will be more than happy to assist you and make your shower a place to relax again.
