The bathroom is a place that should promote relaxation - after all, it is where we rest after a hard day. We go in there multiple times throughout the day, so we should ensure that the smell in the bathroom is pleasant or at least neutral. Maintaining cleanliness and a pleasant smell in the bathroom without a toilet bowl is definitely easier, but what to do if an unpleasant smell wafts up from the drain? How to get rid of the unpleasant odor coming from the shower drain?
What Causes Unpleasant Odors from the Shower Drain?
Unpleasant odors from the shower drain can arise for various reasons. Most of them you can manage to fix on your own. The most serious and hardest to eliminate cause of lingering bad odor is a poorly installed sewage system. Mistakes can happen regardless of whether it's a linear drain or a classic point drain.
The second reason for unpleasant odors is a mistake related to improperly installed sewage ventilation. To eliminate unpleasant odors from the shower drain in these situations, we will need professional help.
Fortunately, the most common causes of unpleasant odors can be eliminated by ourselves. These include dirt accumulating in the drainage pipe such as remnants of cosmetics, hair, etc. In such a case, home methods of drain unclogging are often sufficient. Cleaning the shower trap and sewage pipes usually does not require specialized products or skills.
Effective Ways to Combat Bad Odors from the Toilet, Shower, and Sink
Bad odors in the bathroom can significantly spoil the experience of using that space. The unpleasant smell from the shower or sink trap can be eliminated by using proven home methods for unclogging the drain. The most commonly used method for cleaning the shower drain is using a glass of baking soda and vinegar. You can pour the baking soda into the water drain and then pour vinegar on it; the chemical reaction that occurs as a result of this combination causes the detachment of dirt from the pipe and their flow into the sewage system.
Another effective method to get rid of unpleasant odors is to pour boiling water over baking soda. This method can also effectively clean a pipe trap or a bottle trap and a clogged sink drain. Leave the hot water for a moment, and the baking soda dissolved in it removes dirt and any blockages in the pipes causing bad odors in the bathroom or kitchen.
Other Methods for Cleaning the Shower Drain
If the unpleasant smell persists despite applying the method with baking soda and hot water, more decisive solutions should be sought. The reason may be a clogged WC drain or even the entire sewer stack, or the cause of the unpleasant smell may be located outside the building. In such a case, it may sometimes be necessary to call professionals. However, before you call a plumber, you can try popular chemical agents for unclogging drains available at any store.
A frequent cause of bad odors is inadequate maintenance of sanitary fixtures. Regular unclogging of the traps is as important as cleaning the sink or shower. Removing remnants of cosmetics in the bathroom and food scraps in the kitchen will ensure that bad odors from the drain simply do not appear. Therefore, it is worth occasionally pouring baking soda and boiling water down the sink or shower drain and leaving it overnight. Alternatively, you can reach for some chemical agents designed for cleaning pipes.