When you walk into the shower you expect out of here squeaky clean. What you do not expect, or want, it’s a bad smell emanating from the drain of the shower. Over time the drainages often begin to harbor bacteria through the walls of the pipes. These bacteria cause the pipe looking shiny and clean and are also the cause of that horrible smell that can be out of the drain. The good news is that these bacteria can be controlled, and the smell can be removed using common products in the home.
Instructions:
- Remove the grate in the shower drain. This usually involves removing two or three screws and lift the plastic or metal grid on top of the drainage tube, but in some cases no screws; simply lifts the lid. Clean the grid with a damp cloth with household bleach.
- Enter a rag into the drain pipe. You might need a flashlight to help you see inside the tube and also might need a wire hook to push the cloth clothing down and back out. Take care not to let the rag stuck in the tube. Only clean the top of the tube if you think there’s likely to get stuck if you push it down. Put the cloth in a plastic bag and throw it away to finish cleaning the top of the drain.
- Boil a gallon (3.79 L) of water and pour boiling water through the drain pipe. This will kill many of the bacteria.
- Pour a cup of baking soda into the drain and allow standing for 30 minutes. The soda will absorb many of the remaining odors.
- Pour 3 cups of vinegar down the drain. Bubbling hear when the acid in the vinegar reacts with the bicarbonate. Put another cloth to drain to prevent the vinegar and baking frothy and exit pipe. Leave the mixture into the drain for a minimum of three hours. You could leave it until your next bath.
- Bath normally after the vinegar and baking soda has been in the pipe for at least three hours. If the odor is gone, reposition the drain cap and screws.
- Pour 3 cups of household bleach down the drain if there is still a smell after using vinegar and baking and you’ve bathed again. Allows the chlorine to remain in the drain for a minimum of three hours and then turn on the shower to rinse the chlorine pipe.
Tips & Warnings:
- Follow these steps once a month to prevent future problems with the smell.
- Do not inhale the fumes of chlorine if you use it. Make sure your bathroom exhaust work all the time.
- No chlorine spill on your clothes when emptying the drainage, since chlorine removes color fabrics.
