Strong Ammonia Smell Shower Drain

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tallbarb99

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After showering, the drain in our shower reeks of ammonia. It is not a sulphur smell or sewage smell - definitely ammonia. It drains fine so there's no clog and none of our other drains have this issue nor do we have draining issues elsewhere. We checked the crawlspace for any sign of leakage - nada. Regardless of the non-issue (draining), we have poured chemicals (approved for shower drains) into the offending drain but that didn't fix the problem. We poured a bunch of baking soda followed by vinegar into the drain - again, didn't solve the problem. We haven't yet removed the drain cover and scrubbed the drain's walls - that will be our next move. So, am wondering if there's anything else we should look into that may be causing the problem.
 
Ammonia smell comes from urine.

So maybe your trap is getting sucked dry, and you are smelling the pee in the toilet drain nearby.

Or else there is a partial clog in the toilet drain, and some water is backing up into your shower trap.
 
...So maybe your trap is getting sucked dry, and you are smelling the pee in the toilet drain nearby.

Ensure your venting is not clogged, starting at the roof. Clean the inside of the pipes of the shower (big brush) and replace trap water with clean water.

All kind of nasties can live in traps and can make all kinds of smells.

If you are on septic, ensure you have good flow to the tank. I had partial blockage once and all kinds of weird stuff happened...
 
No - no animals at all (other than my hubby :p). And the smell only happens after a shower and it dissipates within an hour.
 
I bet he does.....but the shower is over 18 years old and the smell is new....so don't think it's his bad habit.
 
I just showered and the ammonia smell started after about 2 min. Anyway, will get hubby (the animal) to scrub the drain walls and, if necessary, check the roof vent. Fingers crossed....
 
You may have to snake the toilet drain, or pull it off and snake the main line through the flange.

Pee smell is likely coming from there.
 

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