Why Does Your Bathroom Smell So Bad?

Odours in the bathroom are a huge turnoff, especially after a long, tiresome day –– when all you want is to soak yourself in a long, warm bath and unwind.

Luckily, a smelly bathroom is mostly an easy-to-fix plumbing problem. But you must first identify the cause of the smell to help you develop viable solutions. Learn about some potential sources of awful shower odours.

Clogged Shower Drains

Clogged drains are a constant menace in most homes, especially along the bathroom's drainage system. Some common culprits for clogged shower drains include:

• Hair
• Dirt
• Soap scum
• Feminine products

When these solids combine with water, they form a stubborn substance (grime) that obstructs wastewater flow through the drains. With time, the grime becomes smelly, and that's when you notice a foul odor from the bathroom itself.

If you don't rectify this plumbing issue right away, the drains become entirely blocked. Pooling water then becomes a huge problem in your bathroom. 

If you don't have the right tools for the job, don't attempt to clean shower drains yourself. You might inadvertently cause a pipe burst as you dig around the drains to find the blockage. Ultimately, the added repair and replacement costs become a menace if you don't actually fix the issue.

A licensed plumber can perform a camera inspection to identify the exact location of the clog, spot other underlying problems, and resolve them before it's too late.

A Dirty P-Trap

If your shower drain emits sewer-like odours, you might be dealing with a dirty or dry p-trap. A p-trap is a u-shaped section of pipe designed to prevent sewer gases from backing up into the drains and into your bathroom.

This plumbing component also holds solid waste particles that flow from the drains, In doing so, the p-traps block some of the solid waste from flowing down into the septic tank. For this reason, a dirty p-trap is often mistaken for a clogged drain. If the p-train is full, water cannot flow through the bathroom drain system.

The p-train should have a constant water supply to create a seal and prevent the foul sewer smells from backing up into your bathroom. If the p-trap is dry, the awful smells can waft up inside your bathroom through the shower drains. 

As convenient as it might seem, you shouldn't try to open or inspect the p-trap if you're not sure how to do it. Instead, ask your plumber to check the entire drain system to rule out other causes like a clogged drain as the reason for the bathroom odours. 

For more information, contact a plumber near you.