What To Do About a Stinky Shower Drain

You hope to start your day with a refreshing shower, but instead, as you run the water, you’re greeted by a nasty sewer smell coming from the drain! You want to get rid of that smell, but nothing you’ve poured down the drain thus far has done the trick. Handyside will help you solve that problem! By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to get rid of that nasty odor for good.

First and foremost, is the water draining from your shower? Are you able to shower without the water backing up and slowly covering your feet? If you have standing water when you shower, you have a clog and that could be the source of the nasty smell. Unclog the drain, and if you still have a sewer smell, take the following steps:

1. Remove the Shower Drain Cover

The drain cover will unsnap or you may need to remove a couple of screws to open (be careful not to lose the screws down the drain). Look down the drain—is it discolored? Or lined with gunk? Soap scum, hair, and body oils can accumulate in this part of the drain and line the drain pipe… causing the nasty smell.

2. Scrub the Drain Pipe

Pour hot water in a bucket and add either vinegar, baking soda, or an all-purpose cleaner. Soak a new paint roller in that mixture and then push it down the drain and turn it around and around. It’s the perfect size for cleaning the walls of the drain pipe (at least for most showers). Rinse and repeat several times until the roller starts to come out cleaner. A new toilet brush could also be used to scrub inside the drain pipe. Use a cloth or sponge to clean the top of the drain pipe and the underside of the drain cover. Scrub and clean until it looks new and smells good.

3. Rinse the Drain

Pour the bucket of cleaning solution down the shower drain and rinse with hot water. You can pour baking soda and vinegar down the drain to cleanse it further. There are also bio-friendly, drain-cleaning solutions that you can buy to help clean the drain pipe. Be sure to replace the drain cover when you’re finished.

What if the Shower Drain Still Smells Bad?

If it’s not clogged and you followed the steps above, the bad smell could be coming from a clog further down the drain line. Another possibility could be a venting issue caused by improper drain pipe installation. Remember not to use the shower with that nasty smell. Contact Handyside’s drain-cleaning experts to come and correct the problem!