Suspicious Smells?
It’s far from pleasant when you get yourself ready for a nice hot shower or relaxing bath and you note a bad smell coming from your plug or drain. Equally annoying is showering with water pooling around your feet, or pulling the bath plug only to watch the water slowly drain away.
Bad Smells
There can be a number of reasons for unpleasant odours coming from shower or bath drains. Although un-appealing the first thing to do his get your nose close to the drain in question and have a good sniff! If the smell is musty it is possible the problem could be mould growing in the drain.
Mould occurs when seals break down on plug or drain holes. Mould just loves the resulting wet space and makes itself at home, bringing with it an unpleasant whiff. The solution is to give the drain cover a good clean. There are a number of products on the market such as Astonish or HG Mould and Mildew Cleaners. More information here. If the seal has broken a repair will be needed to prevent the problem reoccurring.
Another cause of bad smells can be a build up scum on the pipework. This can create a stagnant water smell in bathroom and drain alike. So, as we are giving our drains a little TLC now is a great time to give the pipes a good clean as well. You will need:
- ½ Cup Household Bleach
- ¼ Cup Baking Soda
- 1 Cup White Vinegar
- Very hot water – Boil a kettle of water and let it cool slightly.
Step 1. Pour the bleach down the drain and leave for an hour.
Step 2. Add two cups of very hot water. Then add the baking soda followed by the white vinegar. It will make a very satisfying fizzing sound!
Step 3. Leave to fizz for a few minutes then add two more cups of very hot water. Leave for a couple of minutes and rinse through with plenty of water.
A build up of soap scum also causes bad smells and the fix for this is relatively simple. Just pour boiling water into the plug hole and then rinse for a few minutes with hot water.
If none of these DIY measures clear the smell the problem should be investigated by a drainage professional such as Metro Rod. We can assist with your smelly shower drain UK wide.
Slow Flow
Water draining slowly from both showers and baths is almost always the result of a build up of debris causing a blockage.
Hair is the biggest culprit for causing plug blockages, so a simple measure is to give your hair a good brush before washing your hair. Then, regularly clear any hair from the drain cover.
If the blockage is more significant a plunger may be required. These are simple to use. Just ensure plunger is submerged in water and push and pull to release the blockage. Follow this with a good rinse with hot water.
Another tried and tested method is the good old “wire hanger” which have been used to help unclog bath plug holes for decades. That said, when using a wire hanger it needs to be done with care to prevent damage to the pipes. Take a normal wire hanger and straighten it out. Create a small hook (big enough to fit into the drain). Gently pass this into the pipe and hook up the blockage and pull carefully from the pipe. Throw this in the bin, not down your toilet! Run plenty of hot water into the pipe to ensure it’s cleared.
If water continues to drain slowly, there could be a blockage further down in the pipework which may require professional intervention.
Cornwall’s Metro Rod have over 20 years experience in the drainage industry. We provide a professional, reliable and fast fix to all drainage problems. Our engineers come fully equipped with all the necessary tools to clear blockages, repair faulty drains and investigate deep routed problems with CCTV camera’s. They are fully insured, DBS checked and available 24/7 for a speedy fix. Covering the entire Duchy, we are here for you when you need us. For more information on our services click here.
Talk to your local Metro Rod specialist
We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00
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