How To Clean A Bathtub Drain That Smells Foul
A foul-smelling bathtub drain can make your entire bathroom smell bad, and can sometimes be a tedious problem to fix. Depending on the reason behind the smell, you may be looking at a quick fix, or something that involves a deeper cleaning. There are a variety of methods to try, and unless the source of the odor is a clog that's backed up completely, you'll soon be rid of that awful odor.
Run Water Often
If you rarely use your tub, you might question how it ever has a chance to start smelling with so little water going down the drain. But the lack of water could actually be the problem itself. Every drain has a P trap, which essentially traps small amounts of water just below your drain. This standing water is designed to prevent the odor of your sewer or septic tank from coming back up the pipe and smelling up your house. If you rarely use the drain, this standing water might dry up, giving the odor from your sewer a straight line to your home through the drain.
If you find that the smell goes away after you take a bath in a tub you rarely use, try running the water down the drain for thirty seconds a few times a week. It's not a lot, and it will keep the P trap full of water, which is just how it should be.
Remove Any Clogs
If you have a constant odor whether or not you're using water, it's likely that whatever's causing the odor is on the side of the P trap closest to your drain, and this is often the case when you have a clog of some kind. Even if your drain hasn't slowed down much, there could still be material like hair and biofilm gathering beneath the drain.
There are a few ways you can tackle a clog or getting rid of foul-smelling material beneath your drain. You can try using a snake, whether it be a more high-end mechanical snake or a smaller plastic snake with "teeth" that pull buildups of material back out of the drain. You can also try any drain or sewer-safe clog remover, which should be sufficient for most small buildups. Follow this by running hot water down the drain, then repeating as necessary.
Clear Away Gunk
Sometimes the source of the smell is simply an accumulation of gunk, biofilm, soap, scum, and growing bacteria. This is almost inevitable as you use your tub with any bathing and cleansing products. The good news is that it's also relatively simple to clear away.
To get rid of this gunk, try pouring mixtures of white vinegar and hot water down the drain, followed by cold water, and then another round of vinegar water. If that doesn't work, try pouring down some baking soda followed by vinegar, which you can let sit for about half an hour. Follow this down too with some hot water.
Ask A Professional To Look For Leaks
Occasionally, the source of the smell can be mold, which can come from a leak somewhere in your drain. If this is the case, standard cleaning methods won't apply as the mold is growing outside your pipes or much farther down. If you've tried everything else and the smell remains, it's time to call a drain cleaning professional to inspect your tub and the surrounding area. Getting this taken care of sooner than later can spare damage to your pipes and also make it that much easier to get rid of the odor.
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