It is quite an unpleasant surprise to walk into your kitchen or bathroom and get hit by a nasty smell coming from the drains. While running the water for several minutes fixes the problem, every once in a while you have to get down and dirty to clean those drains.
So, if you moved into a new home and there’s a funky stench coming from the bathroom, your kitchen sink becomes stinky when you run the water, sometimes after a rainfall, you drains emit an unpleasant odour, then read along!
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Why does my drain smell?
- Blocked pipes – Food leftovers, grease, and hair can clog pipes over time. Once this happens, bacteria will start to build up and soon a musty smell will follow. The easiest and surest way to check for a clog is to let the water run for several seconds. If it starts to pool, then there’s definitely gunk somewhere in the drain, which is clogging it.
- Water issues – If you happen to notice a smell of rotten eggs, it’s because of sulfates in your water heater. Sulfate-reducing bacteria enters the system and reacts with the sulfates in the water heater, thus emitting the unpleasant smell. In this case, your drain is not the problem.
- Dry P-traps – In your home, you have P-traps beneath your sinks, bathrooms, toilets, and showers. If the sink or room in question hasn’t been used for months, chances are the water inside the P-traps has dried up. When that happens there’s nothing stopping sewer gas from rising up and invading your home. The smell is that of a sewer.
- Bad plumbing – Leaks or rotting would easily lead to mould and mildew growth. In turn, the bacteria will emit bad smells. Improper drain installation can also lead to the same result.
How do I stop my drains from smelling?
It’s really easy for your kitchen sink to develop a bad odour, with all the food particles which go and get stuck inside the drain. Fortunately, there is an eco-friendly method for removing unpleasant smells from the kitchen or bathroom sink.
Hot water, vinegar and baking soda hack
If you are dealing with a kitchen sink without a garbage disposal, then this recipe is the one for you. Now, you probably already have baking soda and white vinegar at hand. An alternative to white vinegar is lemon juice. Combine them with some hot boiling water, and you will have a wonderful homemade drain cleaner. Here is how to do it in more detail:
- Sprinkle one cup of baking soda in the drain.
- Pour one or two cups of white vinegar over the baking soda.
- Wait 15 to 20 minutes until you stop hearing the fizzing.
- Pour hot water down the drain.
The hotter the water, the better, as it will kill more bacteria. That doesn’t mean boiling water, however, as it can warp and damage your pipes.
If you are sensing a strong musty smell coming from your shower drain, there’s probably a mould or mildew problem. Mildew loves dark and damp places; that’s why your sink pipes make the perfect habitat. Once the spores inside develop, they will clog the drains and release a foul odour.
Not to worry, though, as the vinegar and baking soda method will work just fine on your bathroom drain as well. Although, it is better if you make a paste. Here’s how:
- Mix equal parts baking soda and water to create a paste.
- Apply the paste into the shower drain with the old toothbrush.
- Wait 10 to 15 minutes.
- Scrub the shower drain as thoroughly and as deeply as you can.
- Pour hot water down the drain. This is done so that the mould causing the smell dies.
- Sprinkle some baking soda, accompanied by white distilled vinegar, down the drain.
Repeat the process if necessary. If it so happens that the smell disappears, but then returns after a short while, you may have a more serious mould problem.
If your bathroom smells like sewage or rotten eggs after a shower, then you probably have either of these two problems: biofilm from a clogged drain or sewer gas escaping from the P-trap. Run some water. If the drainage is slow, there’s definitely a layer of decomposing debris inside. To remove the biofilm from the drain, you can just do the hot water, vinegar and baking soda hack described in the beginning.
If you don’t have a slow drain, then that means sewer gas is escaping through the pipes. Check the shower drain to make sure there’s no sewer back up. All you need to do is point a flashlight into the drain to inspect it. Run the water to be sure you’re not experiencing back up. Another explanation is loose pipes or caps. Sewer gas may enter your home through small holes from loosened pipes. In this case it may be a good idea to consult with a professional plumber.
Ice cubes and salt method
For those of you who have a sink with a garbage disposal, there is another hack to try. First, you need to clean the disposal blades of any old, rotting food particles. Next comes taking care of the drain, for which you will only need two ingredients: ice cubes and coarse salt.
- Put some ice cubes into the disposal unit.
- Sprinkle some coarse salt in.
- Activate the unit.
These ice particles will knock off any food leftovers, while the salt scrubs the blades. You can also add some lemon peels for freshness. You can use this method or the one for sinks without waste disposal units. As long as you manage to clear out the smell from the drain, the method which gets results is the right one.
Enzyme-based drain cleaners
Enzyme cleaners are another great option for eliminating bad odours from your drains. If you are not a fan of bleach and other strong chemical cleaners, this is a powerful, natural alternative. Just like the white vinegar, it can break down organic matter like food, grease, and other debris that can cause unpleasant odours.
You can find them in the stores or online. The important thing is to find a product that is specifically designed to work on drains because it should be formulated to target and destroy organic materials such as food scraps, grease, and hair.
Follow the instructions on the label for correct application. Some enzyme cleaners may require more time to work, like 2-4 hours. If that’s the case, it’s better to apply it in the evening before you go to bed, so you can give it the necessary time. Flush in the morning several times and repeat if you have to.
Get a professional deep cleaning from the experts!
If you feel this task is overwhelming and you can’t seem to eradicate the cause of the bad smell coming from your drains, then we suggest you get in touch with us. Fantastic Cleaners works with well-trained cleaners who are adaptable and fully equipped for any cleaning situation.
Our one-off deep cleaning services will give you back your peace of mind and the bad stains and smells in the kitchen and bathroom will become a thing of the past. It’s very easy to make a booking, just use our online form and choose the date and time that suits you best.
Still have problems with your drains? Perhaps a deep cleaning of your kitchen or bathroom will help!
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Takeaways
- Keep your sink and shower drains clean from gunk.
- Always make sure your P-traps are full of water to prevent sewer gas from coming back up.
- Make sure your plumbing is in order, so no sewer smell would escape through any holes.
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