If the drain in the shower stinks, it can be unpleasant, and not just during use. Bad smells from the pipes can spread throughout the bathroom. This guide shows how the problem can be solved with home remedies.
Causes
Contamination in the drain is usually responsible for creating a smell. Residues from conditioner etc., hair and dirt build up in the pipe and can give off unpleasant smells if they are not removed regularly. If the drain in the shower stinks, these triggers also come into question:
- old water in the siphon
- rising gases from the wastewater
- incorrectly installed pipes
- incorrect ventilation
- Constipation
If there is not only a stench, but also the water drains more poorly after showering, there may be a blockage. On the other hand, is the drain clean and clear, but still smells during heavy rain? Then the problem is often due to an incorrectly installed siphon, which cannot fulfill its function as an odor stop.
Tip:
If odors continue to occur despite cleaning and home remedies, you should call in a plumber to get to the bottom of the cause and fix it permanently.
Cleaning
If the drain in the shower stinks, the first step you should take is to clean the sieve and siphon. Wiping out the strainer and using a small hook to pull out hair removes coarse debris and can easily be done without a plumber. However, deposits in the further course of the pipe are not removed. A cleaning or neutralizing agent must then be used.
S alt and lemon
S alt binds moisture and can therefore neutralize unpleasant odors. The application is simple, cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
- Put at least two tablespoons of s alt down the drain.
- Leave for at least 45 minutes.
- After exposure, rinse thoroughly with hot water.
If this alone is not enough, lemon juice can be poured into the drain after using s alt and should ideally leave on overnight. Lemon has a fat-dissolving effect and can therefore remove deposits. It also neutralizes odors.
Baking soda and vinegar essence
The mixture of baking soda and vinegar foams strongly and can remove deposits and thus the cause of the smelly drain in the shower. Just like s alt, this home remedy is cheap, environmentally friendly and easy to use.
- Pour three to four tablespoons of baking soda down the drain.
- Pour half a cup of vinegar or diluted vinegar essence down the drain.
- Leave for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water.
Baking soda and citric acid
Baking soda binds odors, citric acid removes deposits and limescale. If the shower stinks, you can mix the two powders down the drain. In combination, both home remedies have a cleansing effect and eliminate the smell. Half a cup of baking soda and citric acid is enough.
- Pour into the shower drain and cover with a damp cloth.
- Leave for about 15 to 30 minutes.
- Then rinse with hot water.
Soda
If the drain in the shower stinks, it's also worth using soda or washing soda. The product is available in drugstores or pharmacies and has a strong cleansing effect. Just two tablespoons of the powder is enough to eliminate odor from the drain. The home remedy is filled in, left to work for half an hour and then rinsed with cold water.
Washing powder
Washing powder is designed to clean and combat unpleasant odors. However, if it gets wet, it can settle stubbornly and stick to the pipe. It should therefore only be drained when dissolved in water. Two teaspoons per liter of warm water, a reaction time of around 15 minutes and thorough rinsing are usually enough to eliminate the unpleasant smell.
Toilet gel
Toilet gel, foam or tabs can also loosen stubborn dirt in the pipes and thus neutralize odors. Tabs can be crumbled for this purpose. As a rule, one cleaning tablet is sufficient for this. The manufacturer's information applies to the exposure time. In any case, the drain should be rinsed thoroughly afterwards to remove any residue.
Boiling water
If no other means are available, the drain can be flushed several times with boiling water. Germs are killed and fermentation or putrefaction processes are interrupted, at least briefly. Adding vinegar, s alt or lemon to the water can ensure longer freshness. Depending on the intensity of the smell and the dirt, several liters of boiling water may be necessary.
Prevention
Simple measures can help prevent the shower drain from smelling in the future or at least reduce the risk of a bad smell. These include:
- Clean the drain as much as possible
- rinse with hot water after showering
- use home remedies regularly
- Place a strainer over the drain
Tip:
If the drain in the shower still stinks despite these measures, it can be thoroughly cleaned with a pipe cleaning cable and rinsing with diluted chlorine. To do this, use at least ten liters of water to remove mechanically dissolved dirt.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the shower drain stink?
Residues from soaps, dirt and grease, as well as standing water, can be subject to rot and fermentation. This releases foul-smelling gases that escape upwards. Blockages, defects or incorrect ventilation can contribute to these processes.
Is s alt in the drain overnight worth it?
In conjunction with thorough rinsing, a larger amount of s alt can neutralize odors, loosen incrustations and prevent decomposition processes. This effectively counteracts stench from the shower drain and is worthwhile as a preventive measure.
Can I use Rohrfrei against a smelly shower drain?
Chemical agents harm the environment and pipes. It is therefore better to carry out mechanical cleaning and use household remedies or call in a plumber to solve the problem professionally.
