What Causes A Smelly Drain In My Kitchen Sink?

Even when a garbage disposal unit is properly used, it is impossible to prevent grease, food particles and other such waste to get stuck in the drain pipes and cutters. This means that with continued use, the accumulated waste will start giving off foul smells not to mention the machine itself developing complications. 

Since it is where water and soap pass more often than not, it eludes us that it is where unpleasant smells may be coming from. The top of your drain may definitely look spic and span but a surprise may hit you when you turn it over. A look inside the drain will give you an idea where the odors are coming from. So, here are some of the causes of the smelly drain in your kitchen sink.

Causes of a Smelly Drain in the Kitchen

• You may find that mold has steroider til salgs accumulated basically everywhere. The moist conditions inside the drain would make a very good environment for mold to thrive. The drain of your kitchen sink includes the entire length of the drain pipe. This is a huge surface area and mold growing in the areas will Schau dir das an definitely contribute to foul smells from the drain.
• Decomposing food trapped in the system will cause smells to emerge from the kitchen drain. There are many factors that can cause food to be trapped in the drainage system and drainage pipe walls. Food fibers and other stingy materials add to the problem by helping trap even more food particles in the drainage system. 
• Hot water from the tap may contain sulfates that come from the water heater. The reaction of these sulfates may cause foul smells to emerge from the kitchen drain. 
• A missing or faulty sink trap. The sink trap is a pipe under the sink that is U-shaped. The part is called a trap simply because it traps’ some water that keeps the sewer gas from seeping back into the kitchen. If there is a foul smell from the drain then you need to check;
  • i. If there is a sink trap in the first place
  • ii. If there is any leak in the trap itself
• If the sink remains unused for some time, the water in the trap can evaporate and thus allow the sewer gas to seep into the kitchen. This can be quickly solved by running some water into the drain. 

Smelly Kitchen Drain Solutions

Even in the face of such causes, it is possible to ensure that your kitchen drainage is both germ and odor free. Here are some tips to rid your kitchen drainage of odors and germs;

• Disinfect the drain: There are a number of good disinfectants that you can use to drain odors. Avoid using bleach since that may release poisonous gases when combined with the ammonia that would naturally occur in the drainage. A combination of baking soda and vinegar is an effective and readily available cleaning agent. 
• Use boiling water: A hot water flushes down the drain is good enough to deal with the odors in the sink. A small pot of hot boiling water can flush down food particles stuck on the drain not to mention the greases and oils that also add to the clogging. The hotter the water is, the more the bacteria it will kill as it goes down the drain. So, make sure it is super-hot. 
• Borax: Borax can really come in handy when it comes to handling the really tough cleaning jobs. Three tablespoons blended with ice put in the garbage disposal will disinfect and clean the drain. What you do is to let the borax rest a bit then after few minutes pour some lemon juice down the drain to clean the drain properly. 
• Baking soda: Sprinkling baking soda down the drain periodically can help you keep things fresh. Baking soda can do a good job of absorbing odors. You can either do this after washing dishes or even just once a week. This method can also be very effective when you have to leave your sink unused for a while. 

Final word

With proper intentional care, you will be able to keep your drain clean and the garbage disposal functioning pristinely. In the event that the problems persist then you may need to have a professional help to address the problems.