If the drain in your bathtub smells, you may want to watch what you put down it. Like other drains in your home, the drain in your bathtub can build up with grime and bacteria. Debris from your body, such as strands of hair and dead skin cells, can also build up inside the drain. With the tips listed below, you can make your bathtub drain smell better.

Refresh Your Bathtub Drain

Many of the personal items and cleaning products you use every day can build up inside your bathtub drain. Dirt and oil from your body or skin can also build up inside the drain. The substances can attract odorous bacteria, mold, and other germs over time.

You can use a number of things to refresh a bathtub drain, including vinegar and dish detergent. First, clean the drain with hot water. Next, pour some vinegar down the drain and wait a few minutes for the solution to neutralize or eliminate the odor. Flush the drain with hot water. If this doesn't ease up the odor, pour some dish detergent down the drain and allow it to break up the odors. Clean out the drain with hot water one more time. 

If the odor finally goes way, you don't need to do anything else to the drain. If the odor remains or worsens, call a plumber. The odor could be coming from the tub's plumbing pipe.

Give Your Bathtub Drain a Thorough Flushing

Debris can settle inside plumbing pipes and cause them to smell. But unlike drains, it may not be easy to clean out plumbing pipes. Plumbing pipes can travel deep inside the home and may require professional help to clear out and clean. A plumbing contractor can help you flush the pipe and refresh your bathtub's drain.

The first thing a plumber might do is plunge out the pipe. A plumber may use a traditional cup plunger, or they may opt to use something else. 

If a plunger is not sufficient to clean out the pipe, a contractor may use an auger or pipe jetter to do the job. The plumbing tools will force the debris down the pipe and out of the home's plumbing system. The tools should be sufficient to clear out your plumbing pipe.

If your bathtub drain smells bad and you need help eliminating the odor, contact a resource that offers residential plumbing services for help.