Wherever you’re reading this, grab your phone and open your contact list. Of the first 30 people, one of them has, at some point in their lives, pooped in the shower. Well, that’s according to statistics released by QS supplies.
QS Supplies also states that 68% of men and 53% of women pee in the shower. And well, the public consensus has it that it’s acceptable to do so. But how about when it comes to pooping – Can you poop in the shower?
Well, I wanted to go beyond the moral and hygienic considerations of the subject matter. So, I aimed to determine whether pooping in the shower can cause any harm to plumbing or the drainage system. Read on to find out what I discovered.
Read: Plunging Shower Drain Made it Worse
What Happens If Poop Goes Down the Shower Drain?
If poop goes down the shower drain, it will likely remain stuck there and obstruct the water flow. Besides having narrower pipes, the shower doesn’t have enough water to flush everything down as toilets do.
Even if wastewater from the shower and the one from your toilet end up at the same point, don’t be fooled! It’s never okay to poop in the shower. Your shower has a P-trap, an essential feature that helps prevent bad smells from coming back up the drain and into your bathroom.
Usually, this trap is about 1-1/4 inches. Of course, that’s narrower than poop would need to pass through. Even worse, your shower doesn’t have a flushing mechanism nor enough water to push your excretion through the piping.
As if that’s not enough, the pipes connecting to your shower drain usually have a lot of bends. That’s okay and unlikely to cause any trouble if they live their entire lifetime passing water and soap scum. But once you introduce poop into the equation, there’s a good chance it will cause a blockage because it can’t make its way around those bends.
So, even if the poop passes the trap, it will probably get stuck somewhere in the pipes and create a blockage. That, in turn, will lead to problems with your plumbing and a nasty bill from the plumber. I believe that’s not what you want, right?
How To Clean Poop From the Shower Drain?
To clean poop in the shower drain, you’ll need to use bleach and water solution. Bleach is a strong disinfectant that will kill any bacteria the poop might have left behind. If you don’t have bleach, you can opt for other commercial disinfectants.
Even if you dissolve your poop, one thing you’ll still need to do is clean up the place and make sure there’s no poop residue left behind. You don’t want to risk your health or the people using the shower.
So, to do that, you need a decent disinfectant. If you have bleach, you don’t need to get any other. Your all-time laundry companion will do just fine. Just ensure that you follow each of these steps for the best outcome.
Procedure:
1. Create bleach solution; A cup for every gallon of water should suffice
2. Pour on the bleach solution
3. Leave for about 15 minutes
4. Rinse with a lot of water
5. Leave the place to dry
If you don’t have bleach, don’t worry! We have a plethora of disinfectants out there. Just ensure that you use each appropriately. You can always rely on the instructions provided on the label if you aren’t sure about how you should use the product.
Can You Poop in the Shower?
You shouldn’t poop in the shower. Pooping in the shower can cause problems for your plumbing and health. It can clog your drain, cause issues with your plumbing, increase the chances of infection, and leave your shower smelling bad.
Pooping in the shower is undoubtedly gross. However, it’s not as uncommon as you may think. We have lots of people who have saved tons of toilet paper by pooping in the shower. But then again, it just isn’t right.
Sure, your shower and toilet all likely end up in the same place. But before you look at the final destination, examine the anatomy of the two systems. Your toilet’s plumbing system is designed for solid waste while your shower’s is not. That’s why it has thicker pipes to allow solid waste to pass through smoothly.
But the same can’t be said of the pipes leading to your shower drain. These pipes are narrower and not designed to deal with solid waste. So poop in the shower can cause a lot of trouble for your plumbing system.
And outside of the plumbing sphere, there are also health concerns to consider. When you poop in the shower, there’s a chance that bacteria from your stool can splash onto your body. This raises your risk of infection, especially if you have any open cuts or wounds.
Plus, poop will leave your shower place smelling awful. No one wants to shower in an area that smells like poop. After all, you go to shower because you want to refresh and come out feeling clean.
So, the next time you’re about to poop in the shower, think about all of these things first. It’s just not worth the trouble to poop in the shower when there’s a perfectly good toilet right next to it. Trust me, your plumbing and health will thank you for it.
What Happens If You Poop in the Shower?
What will happen if you poop in the shower depends on the consistency of your poop. Poop that’s soft and runny will dissolve in the water and won’t cause any problems. However, if your poop is complex or has a lot of solid matter, it can get stuck in your shower drain.
It doesn’t matter from whatever angle you look at it; pooping in the shower is just a bad idea. Your shower isn’t meant for that. And whether your poop has the consistency of diarrhea or is as hard as a rock, it can cause problems for your plumbing. So, just don’t do it.
You see, more solid bowel movements will have difficulty making it down your shower drain. This is because the pipes leading to your shower drain are narrower than those leading to your toilet. So, if your poop is hard or has a lot of solid matter, it can get stuck in your shower drain.
Sure, the same can’t be said of diarrhea. Poop with a liquid consistency dissolves in water easily and is unlikely to cause issues once it gets into your shower drain. But then again, it’s not just about the plumbing here. There’s a whole host of reasons why you shouldn’t be pooping in the shower.
One of the main reasons is that it’s just gross. Let me ask a sincere question – would you be willing to take a shower in a place where someone just pooped? Well, I bet the answer is no. And for a good reason too. No one wants to shower in an area with a poop smell.
Can Poop Come Up the Shower Drain?
Yes, poop can come up your shower drain. That’s especially true when the sewer blocks. It isn’t likely, though, thanks to the narrower pipes, but the fact that the poop traveled through the thin tubes in the first place is a good indicator that it can come back up.
We’ve already said that shower pipes have a smaller diameter and more corners than those of your toilet. That may prompt one to think that it’s more difficult for poop to come up the shower drain. But believe me, it isn’t.
You see, even with all the bends and thinness of your shower drains, sometimes poop may navigate its way up. And when it does, you’ll be in for a nasty surprise. The stench that comes with it is enough to make anyone gag.
So, how does it happen? Well, when you poop at the toilet, the volume of water and pressure will force the waste down the drain. That’s the same case with your shower, but in reverse. When there’s a blockage in the sewer line, the water and pressure will be directed back up the drain, and with it, your poop.
Fortunately, that’s a rare occurrence. And if you have a well-functioning sewer system, you shouldn’t worry about poop coming up through your shower drain.
How Do You Dissolve Poop in a Shower Drain?
If you have poop in your shower drain, the best way to dissolve it is by using a baking soda and vinegar solution. Baking soda and vinegar have everything necessary to break down the poop and clear your drain.
Baking soda and vinegar are arguably the top two most versatile household products. They come in handy in almost every chore around the home, whether it’s deterring pests, cleaning your kitchen sink, dissolving spider webs, and many other applications.
And yes, when it’s time to clear your shower drain, you can count on them to do an excellent job. The combo does an outstanding job of breaking down the poop and removing the nasty odor that comes with it.
Procedure:
1. Pour a cup of baking soda on the poop
2. Leave it for about 15 minutes
3. Pour a cup of vinegar, a little bit at a time
4. Leave it for another 15 minutes
5. Wash away the residue with warm water
As you can see, the steps are pretty straightforward. All you need is some patience as you wait for the baking soda and vinegar to do their thing.
Final Verdict
No matter how tempting you find it, don’t poop in the shower. It’s unsanitary, can cause a lot of health complications, leaves your shower place smelling bad, and of course, you could stir up a lot of trouble for your plumbing system. If you have to go number two, do it in the toilet. It could save you the trouble of dealing with the mess behind and, perhaps, costly repairs.