It is common to walk into a bathroom or kitchen and instantly detect an unidentified odor, only to realize the source coming from the drain after checking the usual places. If it is the kitchen sink with a ready garbage disposal, some would run the disposal thinking perhaps leftover food was left in the drain. When this doesn’t work, or a drain not equipped with a garbage disposal still emits odors, you can remove the odor and freshen up the drain for good. Below we at The Original $49.95 Plumber would like to share solutions for neutralizing the odors in your home’s drains.

Causes as to Why Bathroom or Kitchen Drain Smells Like Rotten Eggs

There are a few sources that makes for developing the unpleasant smells in your drain; below are the most common culprits.
Sludge & Slime in Drain: Lining your pipes is likely grease, food, hair, soap residues, and other gunky debris. Bacteria is attracted to these articles in the drain, even it doesn’t develop a clog.
Obstructed vent pipes: Water can start to pool in the sink when substances clog drain vents. Stagnant odors become evident due to the sluggish water movement.
Sewer Gas Smell: Sewer gases can rise from the drain due to empty P-traps. This is usually only a result from sinks that are infrequently used.
Faulty Plumbing Smell: Odors will seep from a bathroom or kitchen sink if there are any missing traps or vents, leaks, and rotting drain tubes

How to Clean Smelly Drains

Cleaning out a smelly drain is fairly simply, you need baking soda, near boiling water or white vinegar, rubber gloves, wrench, bucket, a hose, and a ladder. There are several ways to neutralize the odors, and in some instances, combined methods are most effective.
Pour down the drain either boiling water or vinegar: Pour half a pot of water or white vinegar that is nearly almost boil slowly down the drain. Rinse the pipe with cold water to solidify any lingering gunk after letting it linger for 5 minutes or so. Then flush the remaining pot of hot water or vinegar down the drain.
Pour down the drain baking soda and vinegar: For several seconds, run the hot water tap and then shut it off. First pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain and follow with 2 cups of hot vinegar. Wait until it has stopped fizzing, after an hour, turn the hot water tap on and let it wash down the drain.
Clean the P-trap: Wear your rubber gloves and with your wrench to remove the curved portion of the plumbing beneath the sink. With your bucket, empty any water and gunk from the trap. Take the P-trap outside and use the garden hose to rinse it out. Before using the sink again, reassemble the plumbing.
Clean out the drain vent: In a single opening on the roof, in most homes, all drain vents to. Clear away any leaves or other debris clogging the drain vent after you climb up on the roof using a sturdy ladder.

Preventive Plumbing Maintenance

You can combat smelly drains by preventing them with simple steps listed below.
1) Every time you dispose of food down the kitchen sink, be sure to let the garbage disposal run for at least 20 seconds.
2) Once a week, pour a gallon of near-boiling water down the drain.
3) In rarely used sinks, occasionally run water down the drain to keep the P-trap full of water. To slow evaporation, add mineral oil.

Drain & Sewer Cleaning & More in Staten Island, Maspeth, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Yonkers, Queens, NYC Boroughs, New York City NY

Finally, with a professional drain cleaning, you can avoid clogs and odors. Call The Original $49.95 Plumber and let us get your drains cleaned to eliminate clogs and odors. Contact us today!