What is the best product to clean smelly shower drains?

Author: Rowland Hamill Sr.  |  Last update: Thursday, June 5, 2025

Pour 1 cup baking soda (a measuring cup can help) down the drain, followed by 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Be prepared for some bubbling and fizzing. Let the mixture work for at least 10 minutes, then flush with more hot water.

How to get rid of bad odor in shower drain?

Disinfecting the Drain

First, pour one cup of baking soda followed by one cup of white vinegar down the drain. Cover the drain and allow the mixture to fizzle inside of the pipes for a few minutes. Once the fizzle starts to subside, rinse the drain with hot water.

What is the best cleaner for smelly bathroom drains?

One approach is to first pour a cup of baking soda and then a cup of white vinegar down the drain. After letting the mixture set for 15 to 20 minutes, run hot water into the drain to clear it. Utilizing a solution of one part water and one part chlorine bleach is another option.

How to clean a dirty shower P-trap?

How To Clean Shower Waste Trap?
  1. Use a screwdriver to take off the drain cover.
  2. Wear gloves and use pliers to extract any hair or gunk you can reach.
  3. Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain to break up soap and grease.
  4. Mix 1/2 cup of each, pour it down, and let it sit for 15 minutes. ...
  5. Use a plunger for stubborn clogs.

Why does my drain smell bad but no blockage?

This likely means that the drain trap has dried out. Decomposing sewage produces bad-smelling gas in sewers. Drains have a curved section that holds water and prevents sewer gas from entering the house. Pour a quart or so of water into your drain, and it should block the smell.

The TRUTH About Drain Cleaners: Which Ones Actually Work?

Why should you never use baking soda and vinegar to unclog a drain?

Baking soda is abrasive, which, when used in large quantities, will cause the drain more damage. Additionally, the acidic nature of vinegar can eat away rubber and metal, damaging the plumbing. As these products break down the pipe and connectors in the plumbing in your home, it will cause more clogs over time.

How do you get rid of a bad smell in drainage?

Use the Cleaning Power of Baking Soda

Then quickly block the drain tightly and wait a few seconds. The reaction will not only help force any blockages in your line to become dislodged, but will also start scrubbing any smelly residue off the inside walls of your drain line.

What is the best thing to clean shower drains with?

Mix 1/3 cup of vinegar and 1/3 cup of baking soda in a heat-resistant cup and pour it down the drain once a month. Don't pour dirty mop water or other wastewater that contains dirt and debris down the shower drain.

How do you fix a smelly P-trap?

To eliminate odors coming from a dry p-trap, pour half a gallon of water into the trap to restore the barrier. It will prevent the odors from seeping through the drain. Another helpful method is to add a cup of white vinegar bleach to get rid of larvae and slow down the evaporation.

What does a shower P-trap look like?

P-traps, named after their shape, contain a u-shaped bend that filters wastewater as it enters a plumbing system. The trap is connected to a sink, bathtub, and shower with a J-bend on one end and exits into your drainage system. The J-bend is the section of the p-trap that resembles the letter J.

What is the best thing to clean smelly drains with?

How to stop the smell
  • Carefully pour half a cup of baking soda down the plughole.
  • Pour one cup of vinegar down the plughole after the baking soda.
  • Let the solution foam up; leave it for an hour or more to work.
  • Pour hot boiling water down the sink after an hour to flush it through.

Can I leave Mr. Muscle drain Gel overnight?

Using innovative drain unblocking technology, Mr Muscle's new biodegradable formula delivers the power to unclog bathroom drains in just 5 hours. Use it at night, let it work its magic and wake up to freely flowing drains.

How to clean a P-trap without removing it?

Pour some baking soda down your drain and then pour boiling water down after. Sometimes this will clear the clog. Use a plunger on your sink drain to try to force the clog out of the trap.

Is it okay to pour boiling water down the shower drain?

Use Boiling Water

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. Boiling water helps break down grease and soap holding the clog together to clear the blockage. This method is easy and only requires one or two steps.

How do I get rid of the musty smell in my bathroom drain?

Getting Rid of That Smell

All you need is baking soda and hydrogen peroxide or distilled white vinegar (use a funnel if available). The reaction from mixing the baking soda with either hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar acts as a mild abrasive that kills the mold and mildew.

How to dissolve hair in shower drain?

If your drain is clogged with hair, baking soda can dissolve hair in a drain. To try this safe and easy method at home – first, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar (white vinegar) down. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes.

How to stop shower drain from smelling?

A concoction of white vinegar, baking soda, and hot water will help to eliminate odours from smelly shower drains effectively, as well as removing a buildup of grease, bacteria, and any other biological material residue (as long as the blockage is not severe).

Why is there a nasty smell coming from my drains?

Tiny food particles and other organic matter can also accumulate in your drain system and form a clog. These blockages slow or stop water flow in the drain, which causes bad smells. Accumulation of soap, grease, hair products, toothpaste and other substances inside the plumbing promotes the growth of bacteria.

How to clean a P-trap shower drain?

Clean the Shower Trap: Inspect and clean the inside of the trap and drain pipe with the toothbrush or scrub brush. Enzyme Cleaner: Another option is to use an enzyme-based drain cleaner, which can break down organic matter causing the odor. Follow the instructions on the product for best results.

What do plumbers use to clean drains?

Plumbers choose hydro jetting equipment for the most stubborn, deep-set clogs. This drain clearing tool uses high-pressure water to flush your pipes and remove years of buildup. The water jet is so strong that it can even break up any tree roots that have found their way into your sewer line.

How to remove bad smell from bathroom drain?

Once you unclog your drain, mix one part bleach with one part water and pour it down the drain to kill the odor-causing bacteria. If you do this and it still smells, it might be time to call a plumber. You could have a faulty P-trap, which prevents sewer gas from entering your bathroom.

Is it OK to pour vinegar down shower drain?

Vinegar. Vinegar is both safe and beneficial to pour down your drain. It acts as a natural cleaning solution and can remove blockages and harmful bacteria that cause foul odors.

What can I use to deodorize my drains?

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Tip one cup of baking soda down your drain, followed by two cups of hot vinegar. Let it fizz, then flush the drain with hot tap water after one hour. The fizzing reaction of the vinegar and baking soda together may kill odor-causing bacteria and help clean any gunk stuck in your drain.

Why does my shower drain smell but not blocked?

In conclusion, sewage gasses, biofilm accumulation, bacterial development, and P-trap drying up can all be responsible for the foul odour emanating from a shower drain that appears to be unclogged.

What does foul smelling drainage mean?

Slightly colored drainage or discharge that changes color may be a sign of an infection. Odor: Most of the time, smell is not a good indicator of an infection. However, a foul or strong odor from a wound may indicate an infection, and the person should see a doctor.

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