Ways to Eliminate Drain Odors

Have you ever entered your kitchen only to detect a foul smell? You start looking around—it’s not the garbage can, and it isn’t coming from the fridge. No, the perpetrator is a stinky kitchen drain. Fortunately, with a little investigating and drain-cleaning efforts, you can alleviate that annoying stench and say hello to freshness!

Why Does My Drain Smell Bad??

Your sink can stink for a few reasons. Identifying the cause is the starting point to freshening up your kitchen and stopping a recurrence. The most frequent causes include:

• Bacteria: A kitchen drain clogged with food particles, grease buildup and other crud is a breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms that make unpleasant odors as they feed.
• Clogged drain: Stopped up pipes can lead to stagnant water and bacteria growth, contributing to the stench.
• Sewer gases: If the P-trap below the sink dries out, sewer gases may waft from the drain, causing a lingering sewer smell. This oftentimes happens in household plumbing fixtures that are not used anymore
• Plumbing flaws: From DIY mishaps to missing traps or drain vents, plumbing challenges can allow unwanted smells to permeate your living space.

Tips to Clean a Stinky Drain

Here are four tried-and-true strategies to eliminate potent drain odors:

• Hot water: Heat a mixture of water and vinegar almost to the boiling point and carefully pour it in the drain. The hot water clears out the sludge and vinegar negates the stench.
• Baking soda and vinegar: Get started with the hot water technique outlined above. If it’s insufficient, pour a cup of baking soda in the drain and follow that with two cups of hot vinegar. Watch it fizz and let it sit for an hour. Then, flush the drain with more hot water to get rid of stubborn gunk and bacteria.
• P-trap cleaning: Don your safety gloves and put a bucket below the P-trap. Unscrew the pipe by hand or with a wrench, if required, and set it aside. Clean out the contents into the trash, flush any leftovers out of the pipe and refasten your sink’s plumbing.
• A note on bleach: Although it’s a good antibacterial agent, bleach is not suggested for cleaning drains. It can cause harm to your pipes and potentially create toxic gases, so don’t use bleach in this scenario.

Tips for Pleasant-Smelling Drains

It’s very easy to keep foul-smelling drains from happening with a little elbow grease. Here’s what we recommend:

• Operate your garbage disposal and flush it with cold water for 20 seconds after grinding up food to totally flush particles through the pipes.
• Rinse the drain once a week with a gallon of near-boiling water to protect against the buildup of odor-causing gunk.
• Run water through seldom-used sinks to keep the P-trap filled. For additional protection, pour a bit of mineral oil in the drain, because that slows down evaporation.
• Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and then pour hot water to absorb and neutralize odors.
• Occasionally, follow up the baking soda treatment with a cup of white vinegar for a deeper clean. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then rinse the drain completely with hot water.
• Grind lemon or orange peels to leave your sink smelling nice and clean.
• Make use of enzyme cleaners to counter the buildup of odor-causing residue without resorting to the use of harsh chemicals.
• Hire a pro to check your plumbing occasionally. This can help detect odor-causing situations before they become trouble.
• Avoid pouring grease and other food items down the drain that can easily clog or decay, such as coffee grounds and fibrous vegetables.
• Use mesh strainers to catch food particles and other debris before they end up in drain. After that, throw the debris from the strainers into the trash to keep your pipes flowing properly and smelling pleasant.
• Hire professional drain cleaning to ensure a comprehensive job. Licensed plumbers have the tools and expertise to clear tough clogs and smelly problems. Plus, they can supply you with personalized advice specific to your home’s plumbing system.

Get Experienced Drain Cleaning in Fort Lauderdale with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning

If your efforts to clean the foul-smelling kitchen drain don’t work, it’s time to call in the specialists. Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is known for fast, durable plumbing solutions in Fort Lauderdale, including professional drain cleaning. Our 100% satisfaction guarantee means we’re focused on your complete happiness.

So, the next time your nasty-smelling drains make you want to run out of the room, go with the knowledgeable pros at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. Make your appointment by phoning 954-736-4314 today!