How To Get Rid of the Smell in Your Bathroom Drain in Lexington, KY

Catching even the slightest whiff of a smelly bathroom drain can instantly make a bathroom less alluring. A space that’s ordinarily your oasis can quickly turn into one you can’t wait to leave. The only way to get back your bathroom is to figure out the cause of the smell and work out how to tackle it.

Not sure where to start? Below, our most trusted plumbers in Lexington, KY, discuss how to get rid of a smell in bathroom drains so that you can enjoy your space again.

The Top Causes of a Smelly Bathroom Drain

If you have a smelly bathroom drain, it’s usually due to one of the following causes:

• Buildup of organic material. Dead skin, hair, and other organic material can accumulate in your drain, trapping more dirt and encouraging bacterial activity. Bacteria are one of the biggest reasons for unpleasant smells.
• Mold growth. Mold thrives in damp areas like around your bathroom drain. Once it has grown to a significant level, it can lead to that uncomfortable smell coming from the drain area.
• Faulty traps. The P-trap in your bathroom drain helps keep sewer gas from entering your home. There’s always some water in the trap, which acts as a seal against sewer gases. Dried traps let the smell of sewer gas pass through them.
• A blocked sewer line. Clogs in the sewer line are one of the most common reasons for a smelly bathroom drain. You have stagnant sewerage in the pipe.

How To Get Your Bathroom Smelling Fresh Again

Here’s how to get rid of the smell in your bathroom drain once you’re ready for a fresh start.

Give Your Drain the Baking Soda Treatment

This “drain deodorization” approach works well if the smell is due to a minor buildup of organic material in the drain.

To clean your smelly bathroom drain with this mix, start by pouring half a cup of baking soda down the drain first and then one cup of vinegar. Cover the drain entrance with plastic or any flat solid object to allow the mix to work its magic. Avoid using the bathroom during this process, as any water can dilute the mix.

Wait 40 minutes for the mix to work on the organic clog, then flush the drain with hot water. It’s one of the easiest (minor) clog removal solutions that also leaves your bathroom smelling fresh. It only works if organic clogs are behind the putrid smell in your bathroom drains.

Consider Removing Clogs Manually

Can you see an obvious buildup of debris around the drain hole? Manually clean up the drain, and you may have your bathroom smelling fresh again. Tweezers or a drain snake can work here to reach into the drain and remove any visible clogs, such as hair or soap buildup.

Rinse the drain with some hot water, and the smell should disappear soon. One of the most important drain maintenance tips you should keep in mind is to always remove clogs manually if you spot them. Removing them when you can still reach them is a sure way to prevent a damaging deep clog further down the sewer line at a later point.

Clean the Drain With Store-Bought Drain Cleaners

If you’re thinking about how to get rid of the smell in your bathroom drain, then you’ve most certainly considered cleaning the drain with a commercial drain cleaner you can purchase in a store. This approach can work effectively if the cleaners break up clogs and clear out any bacteria buildup, but they often won’t.

Be careful when cleaning drain pipes with drain cleaners, as some of them are too harsh on pipe materials. If you’re thinking about a safer alternative to chemical drain cleaners, consider going with enzyme-based options. Even better, call Elite Performance Plumbing.

Get Hassle-Free Unpleasant Odor Elimination Services From Your Local Plumbing Experts

Have you tried all of our recommendations on how to get rid of the smell in your bathroom drain without any positive results? Call Elite Performance Plumbing to solve your sewer smell problem. A smelly bathroom drain that has defied all your efforts points to other problems elsewhere along the drainage or sewer line, such as a clogged drain vent, a blockage in the sewer line, or a septic tank that needs flushing.

Call our team in Lexington, KY, today for a professional inspection and a permanent solution. 

Further reading: How a water softener works