Why does my shower smell like urine?

If you have a shower door, you may also have some mildew buildup on its track. In addition, as gross as it might sound, surveys have shown that around 70% of all people pee in the shower. That urine can become trapped if not cleaned away properly, causing an ammonia smell to build.
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Why would a shower smell like urine?

These sediments include shower gels, dead skin, and hair. Over time the debris can cause clogs in your shower drain, resulting in slow drainage. Also, as gross as it may sound, research shows that most people pee while showering. Thus, urine and sediment mixture in the floor trap can be the source of the bad smell.
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How do you get rid of the smell of urine in a shower?

  1. Pour 1/4 cup baking soda down the drain.
  2. Drizzle 1/2 cup of white vinegar down the drain, atop the baking soda. ...
  3. Cover your drain, and let the foaming combination move down the drain for 30 minutes.
  4. Rinse the drain with a pot of boiling water, and repeat if any odor remains.
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Why does my bathroom smell like pee?

Deep clean drains

And if the source of the urine smell is your drain, that should be a simple fix. Clear anything stuck in the drain catcher, even if it's a big, wet, gross clump of hair. Flush the drain with near-boiling water and Dawn Dish Soap. You can also use a ready-made drain declogger product here.
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Why does shower smell like cat pee?

One possibility: if MDF gets wet, the formaldehyde in it can release urea, which smells just like cat urine. If you have MDF cabinets in the room, check them for water damage. Is the shower used regularly? If not, could be that the trap has dried out and you're smelling gasses from the waste lines of your house.
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Shower Drain Smells Like a Sewer? Quick Easy Fix



Why does my shower smell like ammonia?

An ammonia smell in the bathroom may simply be the remnants of a pet accident or poor aim by the boys and men in the family, since the ammonia smell is most commonly caused by urine. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the toilet and the area around it to make sure any urine splashes or misses are cleaned up.
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Why does my shower stink?

Leaky Pipes

Leaky pipes in your bathroom walls or under the shower will allow sewer gases — also known as hydrogen sulfide — to escape, so you may notice the shower drain smells like rotten eggs or sewage.
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Why does my house smell like urine?

If your house smells like urine, and you've taught your young sons to aim into the toilet, not around it, you might have a pest problem, a plumbing problem, or a mold problem. Malfunctioning electrical wires might also cause a urine-like odor.
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How do you get urine smell out of bathroom grout?

Removing Urine From Grout

To remove urine odor from grout, Good Housekeeping suggests using a grout cleanser, followed up with an odor-busting paste of baking soda mixed with a little water, which you should apply, let dry and wipe away.
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How do you get rid of the smell of human urine?

Mix Baking Soda, Peroxide and Dish Detergent

Make a solution of baking soda, peroxide and any dish detergent. The combination of the three is often powerful enough to drive away even the strongest of urine smells.
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Does urine seep into grout?

One of the biggest culprits of restroom malodors is urine, which carries with it odor-causing bacteria that often seeps into porous grout lines on the floor.
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Does pee soak into grout?

Urine soaks into the porous surface of grout and textured tiles to cause ugly discoloration and odors. Use enzyme cleaners to remove the urine's odor causing bacteria, grout cleaner to retain the original grout color and then seal the tiled surface to prevent future urine stains.
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Does grout absorb urine?

Since it is porous, grout will absorb all urine that lands on it. With the right grout cleaning and sealing products, it will look like the bathroom accident didn't happen. Remember, you want to clean urine stains immediately since urine can grow bacteria, making your floor unsanitary.
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Does mold smell like pee?

That distinctive odor can be an indication of a mold problem. Certain types of mold have a smell similar to cat urine, including dangerous toxic black mold, which should be remediated by a professional. Another source of cat urine odor is ornamental boxwood, a common landscaping shrub.
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Why does my house smell like dog pee?

Remember, the sooner that stain is gone, the lesser time the carpet's fibers or your floors will have to absorb it. Because if it sets in, it will make your house smell like dog pee. After you've cleaned the carpets and floors, find the other sources that could be allowing the odor to spread and remain.
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Does urine smell go away?

A bad smell in the urine often goes away on its own, especially when dehydration or something in the diet causes it. A person does not need to see a doctor if they can identify a harmless cause of their smelly urine, such as asparagus. Other causes need medical treatment.
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Can you put bleach down the shower drain?

Bleach can discolor items, so you want to focus it on the drains and not other parts of your bathroom or kitchen. Avoid using bleach in sink drain or shower drain plumbing too often because of its corrosive nature. Using it too often may slowly cause damage to your pipes.
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How do I know if my P-trap is dry?

A dried or empty plumbing trap, or P-trap, is one of the first causes to look for when the bathroom drains smell foul, especially if it has been lying unused for long.
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Can you pour bleach down the drain?

Bleach is a powerful, toxic substance that should be used carefully and properly, and pouring it down a drain is not a proper use. Bleach can react with other substances in your pipes, potentially release fumes, and further plug up the system.
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Can sewer gas smell like ammonia?

Yes, sewer gas smells are basically awful. They are actually a combination of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and other chemicals. Even when sewer gas is taken in at low levels, it can lead to dizziness, eye irritation, and a cough.
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Why does my bathroom smell chemically?

If an odor is coming from your drain or bathroom water, it might be because of sulfur. To be specific, hydrogen sulfide gas creates the unpleasant smell. It is produced because of bacteria and can be in places such as the ground, the sewage, and/or contaminated water and pipes.
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What happens if you smell ammonia?

Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or death. Inhalation of lower concentrations can cause coughing, and nose and throat irritation.
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How do you get the smell out of tile?

Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray it over the tiles. Let the white vinegar dry on the tiles. Alternatively, sprinkle baking soda over the ceramic tiles and let it sit for several hours until the smell is gone.
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How do you deodorize tile grout?

Borax: Borax is a naturally-occurring mineral found in soil, plants and even our own bodies. It works similar to baking soda in the sense that it cleans, disinfects and deodorizes. To use it to clean your grout, rub the borax into the grout with a damp microfibre cloth, then wipe clean.
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How do you clean smelly grout?

Here's what to do:
  1. Mix up a solution of about 3 tablespoons powdered oxygen bleach (something like OxiClean would work) and warm water in a 2-gallon bucket.
  2. With a sponge or cloth, swipe it around the surface until the grout lines are full.
  3. Let it soak in for at least 15 minutes, then rinse well with clean water.
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