A concoction of white vinegar, baking soda, and hot water will help to eliminate odours from smelly shower drains effectively, as well as removing a buildup of grease, bacteria, and any other biological material residue (as long as the blockage is not severe).
Clogged Drain
When your drain is clogged, food particles can get trapped and start to decay. This rotting debris produces a foul odor that will make it difficult to use the shower. You can unclog the drain with an auger or by using a drain snake. Sometimes, the problem arises from the stopper in the shower.
Dump one cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by two cups of hot vinegar. Let the concoction fizz. After one hour, flush the drain with hot tap water. The fizzing reaction helps clean out any gunk in the drain and kills bacteria.
Pour a generous quantity of baking soda into the smelly drain. Wait for about 45 minutes, and then pour down an equal quantity of vinegar. This will cause foaming as the vinegar reacts with the soda (great science project for the kids). Wait for another 15 minutes before running hot water down the drain.
Vinegar contains acid which neutralizes odor, cuts through grease and helps disinfect. By heating up (but not boiling) four cups of vinegar, pouring half down the drain, running the water for a minute and then pouring the remaining vinegar down the drain, you can help eliminate smells and smaller clogs.
Dump a good handful of baking soda into the drain, let sit (don't run any water) for 15 minutes, then pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar down. Watch the bubbles, hear the pops and fizz, and let it sit for another 15 minutes. Then, boiling water and voila! It will be right as rain … at least for about six weeks.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
Step 1: Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup table salt. Step 2: Pour the mixture down the drain. Step 3: Pour 1 cup heated vinegar down your drain; the concoction is going to foam and bubble. Step 4: Let the solution stand for 15 minutes (longer does not work any better).
There are several common causes for a sewage odor coming up from the shower drain, including a clog in the drain line, a dry or dirty P-trap, mold or biofilm build-up, and leaking drain lines in the walls, ceiling, or under the floor.
Pouring bleach down the drain is dangerous since it reacts with substances in your pipes, release toxic fumes when mixed with other household cleaners, clog or damage your drains and pipes, and kill the good bacteria of your septic system.
A rotten egg smell is caused either by biofilm clogging the shower drain or the backup of sewer gasses through the drain. Decomposing biological debris trapped in the drain produces an odor and must be removed to eliminate the smell.
Use a natural drain cleaner.
Mix together 1 cup of vinegar (distilled white vinegar works best) and 1 cup of baking soda. First, pour boiling water down the drain to loosen; then follow with the baking soda-vinegar mixture and wait 15 minutes. Rinse with more boiling water.
It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain. Always flush this mixture down with boiling water—no matter how long you leave it sitting in the drain.
In some cases, baking soda and vinegar can even cause damage to your pipes. Instead it's best to use other methods such as a plunger or drain snake, or removing your trap to empty out the probable blockage. You can also consider using a commercial drain cleaner that is specifically designed for tough clogs.
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer that will help neutralize bad smells. Just pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of hot water. Let the mixture sit for a few hours, then flush with cold water.
Pour baking soda into the drain, then pour vinegar and cover the drain with a plug to force the baking soda and vinegar reaction down into the drain to disinfect and deodorize the P-trap.
'Leave a bowl of vinegar out overnight,' advises Saskia Gregson-Williams, cookbook author and founder of Naturally Sassy. 'In the morning, the vinegar will have absorbed all the unsavory smells and your kitchen will be as fresh as a daisy. '
For mild odors, soaking clothes for 30 minutes to an hour is usually sufficient. For stronger odors, you can soak clothes overnight. Here are some simple steps to follow: Fill a clean basin or tub with water and add 1 cup of white vinegar.
Preventative Maintenance
Pouring bleach into the drain when the unit is not operating can leave residual bleach, which will damage the drain pan and line. Using vinegar for preventative maintenance throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line.
You can also pour vinegar down the drain on its own.
Pour about 1 cup of vinegar down your drain and let it sit for 30-40 minutes.
A sewer gas smell in the bathroom can be caused by:
evaporation of water in the P-trap piping. broken seal around the toilet in the wax ring or the caulk. A burst pipe.
In most cases, the rotten egg smell does not relate to the sanitary quality of the water. In rare instances, the gas may be from sewage or other pollution. To be safe, test your well water for coliform bacteria and nitrate.