10 Ways To Get Rid of a Smelly Sink Drain
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You’ve cleaned your kitchen from top to bottom and in all areas, but still notice a foul smell. What gives? The gross smell could come from your sink drain, which accumulates the smell from dirt, old food particles, soap, grease, hair, and more, leaving you disgusted and wanting to stop it.
If you want to know how to get rid of a smelly sink drain, keep reading. It’s not too complicated to stop the smell unless you have a serious clog or plumbing problem. You can usually use some common household products to eliminate the gross odor.
If any of the 10 ways don’t seem to help, contact Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co., the top drain cleaning experts in Elgin, to schedule a service appointment. We also have emergency on-call plumbers ready to help you if the situation is urgent. Learn more about smelly drains, then call us.
1. Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Boiling Water
The most common way to get rid of drain blockages and nasty smells is with the following three products:
- Boiling water
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
Some homeowners microwave a small amount of vinegar before mixing it with baking soda. It can help the vinegar become more effective.
Letting the baking soda or baking soda and vinegar combination sit for a few minutes or less than a half hour lets it set in the drain. The heat from the vinegar and boiling water in the last step work well at eliminating the bacteria that contribute to the stinky drain.
2. Vinegar, Baking Soda, Salt, and Boiling Water
You can add to the most common method for eliminating drain smells by combining some salt with baking soda and vinegar. The coarseness of salt can remove some of the grime that might stay behind in the drain.
You should place the ingredients for this method in the following order:
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Hot vinegar
- Boiling water
Most property owners notice an immediate difference after trying this method. The properties of each ingredient are excellent at stopping stinky smells.
3. Essential Oils, Baking Soda, and Boiling Water
If your foul-smelling drain is really bothering your nose, use some of your favorite essential oils to freshen up your kitchen’s scent. After trying your baking soda and water mixture, try adding a couple of drops and let them sit. You could use any of the following essential oils:
- Peppermint
- Eucalyptus
- Lemongrass
- Mint
- Tea Tree
- And many others!
4. Lemon Juice, Baking Soda, and Boiling Water
The acid in lemon juice combines with baking soda to make a fizzy, effective solution for odor elimination. It also helps break up tough clogs. After letting the mixture sit in your drain for an hour, follow up with boiling water for maximum effectiveness. If you’re curious about how to get rid of a smelly sink drain, give this method a shot.
5. Hot Vinegar
Vinegar is a well-loved solution for cleaning many areas of the home. Did you know it’s also ideal for cleaning gross sink drains? If you’re already cleaning your coffee maker machine, the hot vinegar doesn’t have to go to waste.
Pour warm or hot vinegar down the sink drain to stop the smell. Adding a little bit of baking also helps.
6. Vinegar and Lemons
Making your own vinegar-based ice cubes is one of the easiest ways to try to remove weird smells. You can fill up muffin cups or ice cube trays with vinegar and place some tiny lemon slices inside. Once they freeze, you can put them in your garbage disposal.
Don’t forget to run a bit of hot water after you try this! If you have any lemon-scented essential oils, adding these to the drain will make your entire kitchen smell nice and prevent you from scrunching up your nose when you enter the room.
7. Dish Soap and Hot Water
Combining dish soap and hot water in your garbage disposal can help flush away the odor-causing particles. After filling up the sink with this mixture, run your garbage disposal and see if anything changes. Running hot water with dish soap is best when you use a stopper and fill the sink.
8. Boiling Water
Perhaps the easiest way to stop a nasty-smelling sink drain is by using one simple ingredient: a pot of boiling water. Pouring boiling water in your kitchen or bathroom sink may help with the foul smells. This won’t work if you’ve let the water cool or if it’s simply warm.
If you have extra hot water from your coffee maker, after cooking pasta, or when you make tea, put it to good use. You can also add this step after any of the other methods as an extra measure of flushing.
9. Salt, Lemon Peels, and Ice
If you have a garbage disposal, this is an excellent method to try. Placing a kosher-salt-and-ice combination in the garbage disposal can scrub off stubborn food and particulates that are on the grinder piece. Finally, turning it on with some small lemon pieces can add a citrusy smell and stop the nasty odors.
10. Eco-Friendly Drain Cleaners
Many plumbers advise against using commercial drain cleaners, as some contain harsh chemicals that wreak havoc on the pipes and plumbing. However, finding eco-friendly cleaning products without any harsh substances can help with your odor problem.
They can break down some of the tough gunk and grime that’s causing the foul smells. However, use caution when pouring any cleaning products done to the drain to avoid further issues. If you’re not sure, consult a professional on our team.
Contact Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co. Today
Now that you know how to get rid of a smelly sink drain in 10 different ways, give some of them a try. At Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co., we can answer many common plumbing questions, such as, “Are drain cleaners safe for pipe use?” and more.
If you need professional plumbing assistance in and around Elgin, IL, give Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co. a call at (847) 613-1344.
