26 Sep Drain Smells Bad? How to Fix It, Prevent It, & More
A Detailed Guide On Bad Drain Smells
Plumbing issues are among the most common for homeowners, and the most common is foul odors from the drains. The odors not only make it uncomfortable to live in the house if it spreads but could also indicate a more serious issue with the drains that require an immediate inspection from professionals.
It could also be a health hazard for you and your family, increasing the chances of getting respiratory complications, allergies, or hygiene-related infections.
Whether you are a homeowner or renter and notice your drain smells bad in the kitchen, bathroom, or any other place, it is essential to contact the professionals immediately. Understanding what causes the bad smells and how to remedy them from the experts is vital because it helps you avoid errors you would have experienced if you diagnosed them yourself.
Our Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler, Whitehouse, and Longview plumbers are courteous, conscientious, and highly competent. We have the skills, experience, and tools to examine every drain or pipe and explain the causes and remedies for foul odors.
Why Does My Shower Drain Smell?
Smelly drains in the shower are common because you and your family use the shower daily. Below are some reasons why your shower drain smells bad.
Soap scum, hair, shaving cream, grime, and other debris from the shower accumulate in shower drains, forming a drain clog that traps odors. Regular drain cleaning can help eliminate clogs and odors.
Biofilm forms on the walls of the drains, creating a perfect environment for bacteria growth, which is why your drain smells bad.
A p-trap is a curved pipe under the drain holding water to prevent sewer gases from entering your house. Not using the shower frequently causes the water in the P trap to dry, making sewer gases escape and causing a sewer smell across the house. Therefore, let running water get into the drains to refill the p-trap.
Sometimes, your shower drain might have a clog or be uneven, causing water to stagnate around it. That creates a perfect environment for bacteria growth and accelerates biofilm formation, causing foul smells.
Causes And Solutions For Bathroom Sink Drain Smells
Foul bathroom sink drain smells could make completing daily hygiene tasks like washing your face or brushing your teeth challenging. Below are the primary causes for bathroom sink odors our Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler experts encounter.
Like shower drains, your bathroom sink drain could have buildup from soap, toothpaste, hair, and other gunk that cause clogged and smelly drains.
Bathrooms are usually humid, encouraging mold growth and mildew in bathroom sink drains.
Below are the primary home solutions we recommend to eliminate the bad odor without damaging the drains.
These cleaning agents utilize non-pathogenic bacteria to break down organic waste, foul odors, stains, and mold.
We advise clients to remove the drain stopper regularly and remove any visible debris while looking for external objects that might cause a clog.
Dealing With Drain Smells Like Sewage
Many types of smells can come from drains, but sewer smells are among the common ones. In addition to a dry p-trap, below are some things that can make your Whitehouse and Longview home drains have a sewer smell.
Leaking, cracked, or loose sewer pipes could cause sewer waste and gases to escape the home.
When you are experiencing a serious drain clog, water from the drains could flow back into sinks or the shower.
Ventilation in the plumbing system allows sewer odors to escape. Insufficient ventilation could be why your drain smells bad because it traps the smells.
When you experience sewer odors in your house, regardless of the extent, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Tyler, Longview, or Whitehouse experts immediately for an inspection and repairs.
Dealing With Bad Smells From Kitchen Sink Drains
Foul smells from your kitchen sink make operating impossible and increase the risk of food and water contamination. The main reason why your kitchen sink drain smells bad is food and grease disposal. Food and grease particles from when you wash your dishes or throw food in the garbage disposal could result in clogs and bacterial growth, emitting foul smells.
The best way to prevent this is to avoid throwing large food particles in the sink and garbage disposal. You can also wash your garbage disposal by grinding ice cubes or throwing citrus peels.
You should also install a grease trap to prevent grease from entering and accumulating in your kitchen drains.
Rotten Eggs Smell From the Shower Drain
Many Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler, Whitehouse, and Longview clients call us after experiencing rotten egg smells from their shower drain pipes. This mainly results from hydrogen sulfide gas in the plumbing system, which can come from bacteria, sulfur in the water supply, sediment buildup in your water heater, or reaction from your water heater anode rod.
Below are the most effective solutions from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler, Whitehouse, and Longview experts.
Using boiling water in the drains helps break down buildup along the drain walls, minimizing the chances of a clog forming and foul odors.
A baking soda and vinegar solution forms a fizzy foam that breaks down the buildup in the bathroom drain pipes.
Effective Solutions To Eliminate Drain Smell
Baking soda and vinegar are natural solutions we recommend to our Tyler, Longview, and Whitehouse clients to eliminate clogs and bad odors without damaging their pipes.
- Pour boiling water into the pipes
- Add a cup of baking soda plus one cup of vinegar/ water solution into the pipes
- Cover the drain using the drain plug and give it five to ten minutes
- Remove the drain plug and rinse the pipes with hot water
While this method is effective, we advise clients to implement preventive measures. One of the most effective strategies is routine maintenance, where they should clean their pipes regularly.
We also advise using strainers to catch things like hair and grease, the primary reason a drain smells bad.
A How-To Guide To Eliminating Bad Smells From The Bathroom
Your bathroom drain smells bad because of clogs, bacteria, sulfur, backed-up sewer lines, low water levels in your toilet trap, a dry p-trap, or mold and mildew. Sometimes, you can eliminate minor causes using hot water and enzyme cleaners. We advise against chemical cleaners because they might damage the pipes and kill the good bacteria in your septic tank, causing more issues.
We also recommend plunging techniques for more serious clogs. Still, we don’t advise shoving sharp objects like sticks in the pipes to avoid damage. If the clog or smell does not go away, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler experts immediately.
Tackling Sewage-Like Smells From The Washing Machine Drain
Your washing machine could experience buildup from thick washing detergents, lint, debris, and soap, which is why the drain smells bad.
You can run a standard hot water wash cycle with no soap or clothes. Try cleaning the washing machine filter and drain pipe if that does not work.
Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler If Your Drain Smells Bad
Smelly drains are common in homes, but it is not normal. There are different reasons why your drain smells bad, depending on the location and what you use it for.
Primary causes are clogs, mold and mildew, sewer line issues, and bacteria. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler, Longview, and Whitehouse experts recommend regular preventive measures like cleaning and running water through the drains.
Some actions to eliminate the smells include vinegar and baking soda solutions, plungers, and enzyme cleaners. However, if those don’t work, call us immediately and rely on our skills, expertise, and equipment for a quick and safe diagnosis of why your drain smells bad, plus solutions.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler serves the East Texas cities of Kilgore, Longview, Tyler, and Whitehouse with a team of certified plumbers. In addition to emergency plumbing repair, some of the plumbing services provided by the company include faucet repair, drain services, toilet repair, plumbing fixture installations, tub and shower installations, kitchen sink repair, faucet installation, water heater repair/replacement, and garbage disposal replacement. Call us today at (903) 730-6611 to schedule an appointment!