Drain in the shower stinks really bad!!

[Travelmate]

As the title states. I have a drain that really stinks.
Thus I am looking for useful advice and or tips to eliminate the god awful smell and thereafter keep it stink free.

[Jesus Jones]

Has the smell just started or got progressively worse? And is the water draining ok?

[Travelmate]

Gotten progressively worse.
The water drains slow.

[Bangyai]

Get a drain hole cover of the water trap type. This stops all bad smells escaping from the drain. Available it plastic or metal . Might need a plumber to put it in for you though. Not a big job but he will have the tools.

[hopskimoet]

You have three options.

1) Got to your local plumbing store and buy a roding kit and rod the flow pipe

2) Use chemicals ie: One Shot.

3) Call a plumber.

Hope that helps are your flow pipe is blocked.

Edit: The best option would be a sanitary snake. Very effective at unblocking flow pipes and drains.

[Norton]

Gotten progressively worse. The water drains slow.

Not sure what sewage system you have but sounds like you have waste water backup. Bangyai has good advice. These type drain covers work good. Also, most drains have some sort of vent pipe. If this gets clogged, smells will come out of drain rather than out the vent pipe.

[Jesus Jones]

I had a similar problem that turned out to be the old codgers hair that had acumilated about 8 inches into the drain which collected a load of crap along the way. I used an old coat hanger do drag some of that shit out and then flushed it with some powdered stuff that did the trick.

[Travelmate]

Get a drain hole cover of the water trap type. This stops all bad smells escaping from the drain. Available it plastic or metal . Might need a plumber to put it in for you though. Not a big job but he will have the tools.

Already have drains fitted. Not sure if it the water trap version though.
How can I tell by just looking ?

[Travelmate]

You have three options.

1) Got to your local plumbing store and buy a roding kit and rod the flow pipe

2) Use chemicals ie: One Shot.

3) Call a plumber.

Hope that helps are your flow pipe is blocked.

Ok going for option 2. Maid is now on her pushbike going to a supermarket to look for such a product.

[Travelmate]

Gotten progressively worse. The water drains slow.

Not sure what sewage system you have but sounds like you have waste water backup. Bangyai has good advice. These type drain covers work good. Also, most drains have some sort of vent pipe. If this gets clogged, smells will come out of drain rather than out the vent pipe.

How do I check the vent pipe?

[Norton]

I had a similar problem that turned out to be the old codgers hair that had acumilated about 8 inches into the drain which collected a load of crap along the way. I used an old coat hanger do drag some of that shit out and then flushed it with some powdered stuff that did the trick.

Would be my first option and most likely the problem.

[hopskimoet]

I doubt you'll get One Shot in a supermarket. It's acid. Better off going to a builders merchants.

[Travelmate]

I had a similar problem that turned out to be the old codgers hair that had acumilated about 8 inches into the drain which collected a load of crap along the way. I used an old coat hanger do drag some of that shit out and then flushed it with some powdered stuff that did the trick.

I have a filter type drain that prevent hair entering the pipe.
Also I would like to correct my earlier statement about slow draining. If I remove this then it drains fast.

[Norton]

How do I check the vent pipe?

Try first making sure you don't have a simple clog. If that doesn't work then we can move on to the vent pipe.

[Thetyim]

Do you have an extractor fan in the bathroom?

[Travelmate]

I doubt you'll get One Shot in a supermarket. It's acid. Better off going to a builders merchants.

Told the Maid to do her best and find a product that will clean/unblock drains. Let see what she comes back with.

Is acid safe enough to use with plastic piping?

[Norton]

I have a filter type drain that prevent hair entering the pipe. Also I would like to correct my earlier statement about slow draining. If I remove this then it drains fast.

The filter is clogged. If you can remove it try to clean it.

[Travelmate]

How do I check the vent pipe?

Try first making sure you don't have a simple clog. If that doesn't work then we can move on to the vent pipe.

Ok one step at a time.

[Travelmate]

Do you have an extractor fan in the bathroom?

Sadly I do not.

[Bangyai]

Get a drain hole cover of the water trap type. This stops all bad smells escaping from the drain. Available it plastic or metal . Might need a plumber to put it in for you though. Not a big job but he will have the tools.

Already have drains fitted. Not sure if it the water trap version though.
How can I tell by just looking ?

Unscrew the drain cover and remove it. On the underside of the drain cover there should be something that looks like an inverted but shalow plastic saucer.

In the floor part of the drain there should be another plastic saucer pointing upwards. This saucer holds about half an inch of water and when you replace the cover the saucer on its underside sits in the water of the bottom saucer creating an S trap like you see in a toilet or under the sink. The smell can't get past the water.

Obviously, it helps to keep everything clean by using a little bleach from time to time and getting out any hair etc that might be in there.

[hopskimoet]

I doubt you'll get One Shot in a supermarket. It's acid. Better off going to a builders merchants.

Told the Maid to do her best and find a product that will clean/unblock drains. Let see what she comes back with.

Is acid safe enough to use with plastic piping?

Yes. It's safe to use with plastic.

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[Travelmate]

I have a filter type drain that prevent hair entering the pipe. Also I would like to correct my earlier statement about slow draining. If I remove this then it drains fast.

The filter is clogged. If you can remove it try to clean it.

It not so much as a filter per se. The drain cap is designed in such a way to trap hair. Or it appears so. As every time I step in shower I see nothing but a mass of black hair on the drain.

[Bangyai]

Told the Maid to do her best and find a product that will clean/unblock drains. Let see what she comes back with.

A bag of Som Tam and some bleach.

[Thetyim]

^ ^
I find those things need cleaning out every three months

Also the screw that holds the top saucer sometimes breaks and the thing stops working

[HollyGoodhead]

Nevermind