Kitchen sink smells can have one of two causes:

• Rotting food stuck in the drain or garbage disposal, or

• Sewer gas is leaking in through the plumbing vent or drain trap

  
  

Here are some simple ways to clean a smelly kitchen sink drain!

Chemical-Free Ways to Eliminate Sink Odors

• Run ice cubes and lemon juice through your garbage disposal to help loosen food particles stuck in the blades.

• Use a natural enzyme drain cleaner to eat away decaying food particles without harming your plumbing (note: avoid chemical drain cleaners like Liquid-Plumbr or Drano, as these can be corrosive and cause more harm than good).

• If you smell sewer gas, the issue is likely with your sink trap or plumbing vent. Check under your sink and locate the U-shaped part of the pipe coming from your sink, then see if it is leaking anywhere. If not, your plumbing vent, which keeps sewer gas from spilling into your home when sewer pressure fluctuates, may have a leak or a blockage.

How to Clean Your Drain with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup of baking soda

• 1 cup of white vinegar

• 1 tea kettle of boiling water

To start, you’ll want to pour 1 cup of baking soda down the sink drain, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. After that, let the mixture sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, take the tea kettle of boiling water and pour it down the drain. Within seconds, you’ll have an odorless, clean pipe!

If you run into any problems with your home plumbing our technicians are here to help!

Richie’s Plumbing is here for all your plumbing needs and we can help you with repairs, upgrades and installs. Give us a call today.

504-241-1556