Why does my house smell bad after taking a shower?
A persistent foul odor appearing specifically after showering can linger in the home even after standard drain cleaning fails to provide a permanent fix. Finding the root cause is necessary to permanently resolve the lingering smell and stop it from returning.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Cleaning the drain with vinegar and baking soda
- 2Opening windows for a cross breeze
- 3Simmering water on the stove with herbs like rosemary or mint
- 4Placing open boxes of baking soda around the house
- 5Wiping down window sills with vinegar
- 6Pouring hot water into all drains and flushing every toilet
- 7Running fans, changing air filters, and simmering citrus peels with spices
- 8Planning to re-route the pipe until a way to get it to the roof can be found
- 9Checking pipes with an inspection endoscope for potential blockages
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“however now when we shower, we get a rancid sewer smell.”source ↗
“My dad thinks it's our sewer vent, which i agree, as it's directly beneath the shower, rather than through the roof.”source ↗
“We left home for a 10 day trip, and when we got back, noticed the house smelled....weird.”source ↗
“But, now, the house still smells like it did right when we got home 3 days ago, just a little better.”source ↗
“Any tips on getting lingering odors to go away?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 2Shower finish peeling off when cleaning
- 5How to get rid of a strong strange odor inside a vintage chest