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Why Does my Bathtub Drain Smell?

Posted on December 15, 2020 by Melbourne Plumber

Nobody likes funky smells which emanate from the rest room. This is why we have ventilation with fans pumping air out of them. But sometimes the smell is not from toilet use. Your bathtub drain may be producing a smell. This smell can be caused by one or multiple of several potential issues:

1. Mold or Mildew Beneath Your Drain Cover.
2. Malfunctioning p-trap which is allowing sewer gas to makes its way back into the bathroom.
3. Grime, hair and other decomposing organic materials stuck in the drain.

Smelly Drain Fixes

If your strainer is clogged with organic material, simply remove it with a screw driver and clean it in the sink. It can be scrubbed with a sink brush and you can soak it in CLR or any other cleaning solution you like to use.

If your p-trap isn’t working properly, you may need to get it repaired or replaced. The p-trap works by keeping water in them. This water serves as an airtight barrier between you and sewer gas. Shine a flashlight down your drain hours after last used. If you dont see water then you may have an issue.

Make sure to block your shower vent when adding water back to the trap. A pressure imbalance may be causing the water to become dislodged from the p-trap. A professional plumber can tell you if this is the case and can fix the problem for you.

If there is organic material in your drain you can try over-the-counter decomposing agents. You can also run a bottle brush down there to remove any material. Some people will purchase their own drain snake and run it down there.

We hope this information is useful in your question to keep your bathroom smelling fresh and nice.