Ways To Get Rid Of A Smelly Drain
Now you know some of the most common causes of the dreaded kitchen or bathroom sink drain smell, we move on to discuss ways to get rid of foul drain odors. For the most part, these methods are safe for homeowners to attempt. An unpleasant odor caused by clogs, dryness, and similar issues are relatively easy to take care of for homeowners of all skill levels. For more major issues, its best to call in a licensed plumber for help.
How To Fix A Smelly Bathroom Sink Due To Sewer Gasses
As we discussed above, smelly bathroom sink drains can be caused by sewer gasses entering your bathroom through the P-trap.
How the P Trap can affect bathroom sink smells
The most important thing you can do to prevent this is to keep the water in your sink trap full. This will create a seal that will prevent sewer gas from escaping.
You can fix a dry p trap by running water for a few minutes.
If the water level in the trap does not rise, then you will need to add more water. One way to do this is to pour a pitcher of water into the drain, or just run the cold water tap longer.
Is this a spare bathroom drain that smells?
Why didnât you say so! Bathrooms that arenât used very often can experience evaporation, but we have a little hack for you. You can also add a small amount of mineral oil, which will help to slow evaporation. By keeping your p-trap full, you can help to prevent sewer gases from entering your home.
What about proper bathroom sink venting?
Here is how a bathroom sink is supposed to be vented.
As mentioned, the bathroom sink has a p-trap, which is a U-shaped pipe that holds water in order to seal off the smelly sewer gases. We discussed how to ensure this is filled with water to restrict sewer gases. However, letâs take this furtherâ¦
If there is no vent stack, or if itâs not working properly, then the air will be restricted and the water wonât be able to flow properly. This can cause all sorts of problems, including a smelly bathroom sink drain.
Get In Touch With Tunnel Vision
Smelly drains are an unpleasant household problem that you can try resolving on your own.
Depending on the root cause, finding out what will work depends a lot on trying a few simple solutions.
However, when all else fails, make sure to call in the professionals. Tunnel Vision has the tools and the skills to clean any smelly drain and clear any blocked drain quickly and with minimal convenience to you. Call us on or book online today!
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Use The Cleaning Power Of Baking Soda
Did you know that the volcano you built for the science fair in elementary school may have actually been teaching you how to solve your smelly drain? The chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar actually has tremendous cleaning power as well as the ability to create pressure to the point where it creates a simulated eruption. Simply pour several tablespoons of baking soda down a blocked or smelly drain, then follow it up with several tablespoons of plain white vinegar. Then quickly block the drain tightly and wait a few seconds. The reaction will not only help force any blockages in your line to become dislodged, but will also start scrubbing any smelly residue off the inside walls of your drain line.
What Causes Drain Odor In The First Place
The most common source of foul-smelling drains are clogs and odor-causing bacteria. To make things even worse, the best breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria is the smelly clogs themselves. The two primary sources of drain odor feed each other like some twisted ouroboros of stink. However, bacteria and clogs arent the only sources of foul-smelling drains. Some other familiar sources of drain odor include:
- Sewage As sewage decomposes, it releases noxious fumes and gases. These gases are unpleasant and smell like old sewage. Sewer gases can permeate through your drains when there are empty drain traps. Usually, sewer smells occur in irregularly used drains.
- Mold and Mildew Mold and mildew smells are directly attributed to the existence of mold or mildew near your drains. Usually, mold and mildew smell occur in drains when a leak in the gutter or pipes connect to it.
- Plumber Error Plumbers, like everyone else, arent perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes. Simple errors like forgetting to install drain traps or sewage vents can cause severe drain odors.
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An Update From Bromac Regarding Covid
We understand that times are tough and as an essential service, we will be staying open for all emergency and non-emergency calls.
Materials may start to run dry but we have done our best to order trucks filled with water heaters, furnaces, pipe and other materials to prep for potential shortages.
If there are any jobs you know you need done in the next while, please book with us ASAP so we can consider further material orders. For unexpected/less common emergency calls, we will do our best to stock less common parts to be able to assist in such cases. For all drain cleaning jobs, our machines are ready for the task.
As per normal we will be accepting credit as we know times like this could put a financial strain on many.
Times like these can unite us as a community. We look forward to assisting wherever and whoever is in need during the coming weeks and months.
*All of our techs are being screened and will not be working if feeling at all under-the-weather*
Get Rid Of Sink Drain Smells
Now you know what causes sink drain smell, properly take care of the foul odor in the drain. Homeowners across Indianapolis, Indiana deal with this issue, but there are ways to handle this common issue. Use these tips from Mr. Plumber to get rid of sink drain smell.
For more information on Mr. Plumbers services, visit our website. To schedule repairs to eliminate a bad smell from your sink, !
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Im Still Having Issues
If you have tried all of the above methods to unblock and freshen up your drains but you are still getting bad smells, it is time to call in a professional. With specialist tools and years of experience, they will deal with your issue quickly and effectively. Our free search feature will instantly find trusted tradespeople in your area who are highly qualified to assist you.
Or, before deciding to speak to an expert, why not check out our drain unblocking cost guide. You will learn more about professional drain unblocking with prices and other tips.
Ice Lemon Peels And Salt
When basic soap and hot water dont do the trick, you can try this technique instead. With your garbage disposal off, put some ice cubes and a handful of coarse salt down your drain. Turn on your disposal and let the ice and salt be processed for a few moments before throwing in some lemon peels.
The salt and ice will work to get rid of any physical residue in your sink, while the lemon peels help eliminate odor.
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How Do I Clean My Drains
To clean your smelly drains, use a quality drain cleaner like Liquid-Plumr® Clog Destroyer Plus+ Pipeguard. The thick gel formula will dissolve drain clogs, prevent new ones and get rid of drain smells and odors.
Check out our article Spring Plumbing Tips for Your Drains for more information about how to clean smelly drains and drain maintenance throughout your home.
Why Does My Dishwasher Smell
If you have a smelly dishwasher, it could be because youre not rinsing your dishes properly before loading them. Food particles can collect in your dishwashers filter and crevices, and over time, this can cause an unpleasant odor. To avoid smelly dishwashers or drains its important to know how to clean your dishwasher regularly.
One way to prevent food from accumulating is to practice proper dishwasher usage. A great rule of thumb is to thoroughly scrape and rinse plates, silverware, bowls, and other items before they go into the dishwasher.
Depending on the mess, you probably wont need to scrub the plates with soap, but scrape food off and rinse dishes clean. Failure to do this means large food particles can get caught in the grates . This can result in clogs that prevent draining or can create a smelly dishwasher.
If theres food caught in the drain system of your dishwasher, remove it. Then, use a clean sponge to wipe the area clean. Also, you can pour a chemical drain cleaner down your garbage disposal, too. Itll help freshen the same plumbing the dishwasher uses and leave a fresh, citrus scent.
For more information on how you can use Liquid-Plumr® products, visit our FAQs page.
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How To Clean A Smelly Kitchen Sink
When youre gathered in your kitchen whether its a regular day or a special holiday youre often greeted with delicious smells and happy memories. Its a place to eat, to talk and to just enjoy life.
But every once in a while, you may notice an unpleasant odor coming from your sink disposal or garbage disposal, right? Yuck. A strong odor is one way to disrupt a happy moment!
So why does this happen in the first place?
There are usually two culprits behind a smelly kitchen sink:
1. Rotting food thats stuck in the drain or garbage disposal2. A sewer gas leak thats coming through the vent or drain trap
Thats the bad news but heres the good news: its totally fixable! Thats right you dont have to live with a stinky kitchen sink forever.Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Bay Area has put together a quick and handy guide to help you keep your kitchen sink smelling fabulous. If youre wondering how to fix a smelly kitchen sink, read on to learn more.
Why Does My Sink Smell Like A Sewer
Sulfur Bacteria
In groundwater, wells, and water distribution systems, hydrogen sulfide often occurs when bacteria comes into contact with sulfide compounds. This causes a chemical reaction to occur and creates hydrogen sulfide gas. This gas can enter through your pipes and plumbing system to create unpleasant kitchen sink smells. It is possible to treat your water and distribution system to prevent this from happening in the future.
Sewage or Pollution
Sewer waste can also create this familiar rotten egg smell. However, as it is dealt with separately from your groundwater, it is rare for the two to mix. Sewer waste can get into your groundwater system and cause you to smell the offensive odor in rare instances. If your sewer smell is coming from the sink, it may mean that you have a broken or dried-out p-trap.
Ground Waters
Groundwater is a valuable resource for your home that, while useful, can be prone to bacterial growth. Hydrogen Sulfide is typically formed when the chemical matter in the water decays or when the bacteria comes into contact with minerals and rocks containing sulfur. A chemical reaction occurs and produces these noxious fumes, which can push through your plumbing system and into your home. We recommend treating the groundwaters on the advice of a professional plumber.
Water Heaters
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Run Ice Cubes Through It
Ice cubes are a great way to scour your disposal and get rid of grimy buildup. For best results, follow the hot water method to clean your smelly drain first, and then push two cups of ice cubes past the rubber flange into your disposer. With the cold water tap going full blast, turn on your disposal and let it run for two minutes while your disposers blades break up the ice. Once times up, run hot water for a minute and turn off the disposal.
How To Fix Your Smelly Drain
If you want to get rid of drain smells and odours, always clean the drains opening regularly with soap, water and disinfectant and remove any food items from the sink.
To prevent stinky drain smells, the best cure is avoiding certain behaviours that typically cause a blocked drain and smelly drains, like pouring the grease into the sink and disposing of your waste correctly. Personal hygiene products can affect drainage. Think about your dental floss, baby wipes, diapers, tampons, tissues and cotton balls. And by using drain screens or pouring hot water into the sink, you can help prevent a smelly drain.
There are plenty of DIY methods for solving blocked drains, and some are more effective than others. Aside from hot water , you can also try simple solutions. Close your drain plug and pour your organic drain cleaner such as pour half a cup of hot vinegar and baking soda down the kitchen sink drain. It can do the trick for simple blockages and even leave your drains smelling fresh. Also, you can utilise a caustic drain cleaner down your garbage disposal and get rid of the drain smell.
But sometimes, smelly drains can signify a more significant issue with your plumbing system like your pipework, sewer gas trap problem and larger drains outside.
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Stinky Garbage Disposal Solutions
In kitchens, its common for smells to emanate not from the pipes, but from your garbage disposal. If you believe your garbage disposal may be the cause of an unsavory smell, try this stinky garbage disposal solution:
The acid from the citrus will help remove any odor or gunk from your garbage disposal blades. This natural cleaner can be repeated as necessary to keep your garbage disposal smelling fresh.
How To Clean Smelly Drains
Most people dont pay much attention to their drains until something unpleasant happens. A lot of times, that unpleasant event is either a smelly drain or a clogged drain.
Sinks, shower drains and kitchen drains need to be cleaned so they dont get smelly. Scented candles or potpourri may cover stinky drain smells, but you need to address the source to fully eliminate odors. Learning how to clean drains and with regular maintenance, you can prevent smelly drains.
Continue reading to learn what can cause different drains in your home to clog or smell and how to clean smelly drains and keep them from smelling.
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Now On To The Actual Smelly Drain Cleaner
Here is a straightforward recipe for an environmentally friendly solution to cleaning smelly drains and minor blockages. Dont wait for a serious blocked drain to plague you. Lets not only get rid of the stinky drain smell but also clear up your minor blocked drains now. So, before you rush out and buy a commercial drain cleaning product and the harsh chemicals that come with it, try this first!
Baking soda and vinegar are natural, non-toxic ingredients. While unclogging drains, they pose no health dangers. They are preferable to the sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye, found in most drain cleaners.
Combining baking soda and vinegar can form carbon dioxide and sodium acetate. This presents as the bubbles scrubbing the drains insides. These natural, non-toxic ingredients get flushed further down, ensuring a clog-free drain.
Check the ingredients below and follow the application.
Ingredients:
Pour White Vinegar Down The Drain
If you dont have white vinegar in your kitchen, go to the store and buy some. Pour white vinegar down the drain and leave it for 10 minutes. The smell of vinegar will eliminate the smell of sewage and can help prevent future problems with your sink. You should also make sure that your drain is covered to avoid clogging.
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Tips To Keep Drains From Stinking
Routine attention can keep your drains from developing odor-causing buildup.
Dont pour grease down your drain.
Flush your kitchen drains with hot water after doing the dishes.
Sprinkle baking soda down your drains weekly to control odors. To keep bathtub and shower drains from smelling, pour hot vinegar down them weekly to eliminate soap scum and body oil.
Use a plastic drain snake every 2-3 months. You might also want to install a hair-catching drain cover in the shower or bathtub. Keep your P-traps from drying out. The P-trap is the curvy pipe under your sink. Your shower and tub have them, too, though theyre hidden. P-traps are designed to hold a little water at all times to act as a barrier to sewer gasses. When the P-trap goes dry, those sewer gases enter your home. To avoid empty p-traps, make a point to run the water for a few minutes each week in seldom-used sinks, tubs, and showers to flush and refill the P-trap.
Dish Detergent And Boiling Water
Dish soap and hot or boiling water can be a quick and easy way to get rid of harsh smells and drain buildup.
First, boil water in a pot on the stove. Pour the boiling water down the drain to begin softening some of the grime and gunk. Follow this with some grease-attacking dish soap, such as Palmolive Oxi Power Degreaser to further eat away at the clog and give your drain a fresh and clean smell. Continue to boil water and wash through with dish soap until the drain is clear, and your kitchen smells great again.
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