The Most Common Causes of a Smelly Shower

Getting into the smelly shower should be a pleasant experience. There is nothing quite like the feeling of hot water cascading over you as you wash away the stresses of the day, or even prepare for the upcoming day. 

Unfortunately, the experience can be quickly ruined if you notice a smell in your shower. Instead of enjoying the experience, you’ll want to be in and out as fast as possible. 

The best thing you can do is to contact a licensed and registered Sydney plumber, they will track down the source of the issue for you and resolve the problem as fast as possible. 

It can help when talking to the plumber to have an understanding of the most common causes of a smelly shower.

Clogged Drains

The first sign that you have a clog building in your drain system is when the water starts to drain slower than usual. If this is just in the shower then the clog is n the shower pipes, if it affects all your appliances then the clog is in your sewer line. 

In all cases, you‘ll need to remove the clog. The reason it causes a smell is that the grime and other contaminants in your wastewater are no longer being carried away, this results in an odour that will rise into your bathroom through the shower.

A partial clog may even allow gases that should be ventilated away to travel into your home. 

It’s a good idea to periodically check the trap in your shower drain and remove excess hair and other products, such as dirt and sand. It’s amazing what goes down the shower drain. 

A Build-Up Of Biofilm

Biofilm is essentially a coating of bacteria, similar to those that cause mould in your home. They can build up inside your shower head and coat the inside of your waste pipes. One of the biggest differences between biofilm and mould is the fact that biofilm feels slimy, this is because the bacteria and waste are bound together with a glue-like substance. 

It’s actually similar to the plaque that builds up on teeth. 

The best approach is to use an antimicrobial spray, apply it directly to any biofilm in the shower and add some product to your shower trap for good measure. Rinse everything down and do this regularly to keep the biofilm and associated smell away.

Leaks

There are two types of leaks n a bathroom. The first is on the supply pipes and the second is on the waste pipes. 

When your supply pipes are leaking they can go unnoticed. Unfortunately, this means moisture collects on your floor and eventually causes the wood to rot. This creates a damp mould smell in your bathroom which will be most noticeable by the leak.

If the leak is on the waste pipes then you’ll be letting sewer gases into your bathroom. Again, the odour will be most noticeable where the damaged pipe is but you’re likely to notice this in the shower and you’ll want to take prompt action.