How to Get Rid of a Nasty Sewer Smell from Your Shower Drain

First, before we get to those steps, 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 also be the source of the nasty smell. Unclog the drain (check out our $499 whole home drain cleaning Northfield special) and, then, if you still have a sewer smell, take these steps to clean the drain.

1. Remove the shower drain cover

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

2. Scrub the drain pipe

Put some hot water in a bucket and then add either vinegar and 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 coming 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 keep cleaning until it’s looking new and smelling good.

3. Rinse the drain

Pour your bucket of cleaning solution down the shower drain and then 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 get to help clean the drain pipe. Be sure to replace the drain cover when you’re done.

What if the shower drain still smells bad?

If it’s not clogged and you followed the steps above, any bad smell caused by residue in the drain pipe should be gone unless the smell is coming from a clog further down the drain line. This can be resolved with Rowell’s proper drain cleaning Northfield services. The other possibility is a venting issue caused by improper drain pipe installation. Don’t go on using the shower with that nasty smell. Contact us at Rowell’s Services and ask about our $499 whole home drain special!