Why A Shower Might Smell Bad

Most of the time, taking a shower is a relaxing part of a person's day. You can't think of anything better than getting into the shower after a long, stressful day at work and letting the water wash away all your worries. But showers can also be very embarrassing. There are many different things that can make a shower smell bad.

Find out where the smell is coming from
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When you notice a new smell coming from the shower drain that makes you wrinkle your nose in the bathroom, the first thing you should do is write down what kind of smell it is so you can figure out where it's coming from.

1. P-Trap Dry or Dirty?
If your shower drain smells like sewage, it means that your P-trap isn't doing its job and sewer gases are getting into your bathroom. If your P-trap is still clogged and there is a musty smell or a general smell, it probably needs to be cleaned.

What is a "P-Trap" in a shower, and how can it make a smell?
A P-trap is an extra drain fitting that comes with many bathrooms. This piece of plumbing, which is meant to keep sewer gases from coming back into your house through your drain system, is often the cause of smelly shower drains. The trap itself has water in it, which makes a seal that keeps the bad smells from coming back up into the house.

If there is no water in the P-trap or if it has dried out, smells can easily come up through the shower drain and land around your feet as you use the bathroom. This makes it easy to check because you can just shine a flashlight at it and see if it looks dry or wet.

How to Clean P-Traps in Showers
To clean out this part of the pipe, look around to see if there is any trash in the trap. If it looks like something is stuck inside, get an old cloth or paper towel and use it to scoop out whatever is in the way.

Once you've cleaned out the P-trap and made sure there's no trash in it, fill the bathroom sink tub with cold water and pour it into the P-trap until it's full and there are no air pockets. This can help get rid of any other blockages that might be causing the smell.

2. Leaky Pipes
If your shower smells like rotting eggs or sulfur, it's usually because there's a leak in the drain lines under your home. Some of the most common reasons why shower drains smell like this are broken valves, rusty pipes, and faucet joints that leak.

What can make pipes leak?
Leaks like these can make your shower smell the worst because they let sulfurous gases, which smell like rotten eggs, rise up through your drain system. Corroded pipes and loose joints, like those on your sink faucets or under your toilet seat, are common causes of a smelly shower drain.

How to Fix Pipes That Leak
To get rid of shower smells coming from your drain system because of leaking pipes, you'll need to tighten every corroded joint and replace sections of pipe that may be rusting away. This can be a hard job, but it has to be done to keep the bathroom a safe place to live.

3. Biofilm Buildup
If you can't use a plunger to clear a clogged drain, it's probably because biofilm has built up inside the bowl and is stopping water from draining. This is a common cause of smelly shower drains because when water doesn't flow through the pipes in the bathroom, everything starts to rot and decay more quickly, making smelly gases.

Biofilm is what?
Biofilm is a thin layer that builds up on the inside of drain pipes when hair and other debris start to break down. Dirt, dust, and other foreign objects can often stick together in your home's drain system to form a sticky layer that makes your shower drain smell.

Biofilm: How to Get Rid of It
Once you know where the smell is coming from in your house, you'll need to clean out all of the pipes under your bathroom sink and between these points. Because it's hard to get to, this part of the drain line is usually where people have trouble getting rid of tough clogs or smells.

You'll need a special enzyme-based product that kills bacteria and germs in general, as well as a few other tricks, to break down the biofilm. Some things that can make shower drains smelly is not keeping them clean, which can lead to buildup.

4. Clogged Drains
If hair or other things are getting stuck in your drain line, you'll need to fix it right away before the smell gets worse. Some of the most common reasons for smelly shower drains are clogged drains and leaks. When water sits under the house for too long, it starts to rot and break down much faster.

Why do shower drains get clogged?
Clogs in your shower drain are usually caused by too much use or overflow from the bathtub, but they can also be caused by dirt and other foreign objects that get stuck in your home's plumbing system. Drains often get clogged because there are many things that can easily cause them to do so, such as:

1. Hair
2. Dast
3. Sand
4. Small things
5. Soap scum
6. Dirt 
7. Mineral Deposits

How to Unclog a Drain
To clear out a clogged drain, you'll need to take the face shield off your plunger so you can hold it better and then plunge it into the clog. Common reasons for a smelly shower drain can be hard to fix because you have to put one hand in the dirty p-trap and use the other hand to plunge, which is at best uncomfortable.

CBJ Plumbing Union City NJ is an expert in plumbing in your area.
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If your shower smells bad, don't worry. We've got you covered. Call our team at 201-875-1054 right now. Our team of experts will be happy to help you and turn your shower back into a place where you can relax