Why Does My Kitchen Sink Smell?
A kitchen sink can start to smell for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons is that the kitchen sink’s drain becomes clogged with food or grease, which can cause bacteria to grow and create an unpleasant odor. Another common culprit is a build-up of soap scum on the sink’s surface, which can also lead to bad smells. Here are the most common reasons why your kitchen sink might have a foul smell.
Rotting Food
If you are washing food waste and soda down your kitchen sink, there is a chance that food items will become stuck in the garbage disposal. If these items rot, they can cause a foul smell to come from your garbage disposal, which means less-than-pleasant smells coming from your kitchen sink. You might want to clean out your garbage disposal or get professional garbage disposal repairs if it has been more than six months since its last cleaning.
Grease & Fats
Kitchen grease and fats often build up over time along the kitchen sink’s rim and in its drain trap. This can lead to unpleasant odors coming from the garbage disposal when water runs through the drain after being poured down the garbage disposal side of the sink.
Sewer Gas Leaking
If the drain line that leads to your sink is leaking., it can cause the kitchen sink to smell bad. This gas is actually sewer gas, and it is not only smelly, but also potentially dangerous. It is important to have any gas leaks repaired as soon as possible.
Blockage or Clog
If the P-trap under your kitchen sink becomes clogged, it can cause water to back up and create a foul smell. This blockage is often caused by food or grease that has collected in the trap. You can try to clear the blockage yourself using a plunger or a plumber’s snake, but if it is too difficult to clear or if there is a lot of blockage, you might need to call a plumber to take care of your kitchen repair’s for you.
Clogged Vent
Every house has at least one main vent that exits through the roof. Most local codes dictate this to have a diameter of at least four inches, and all fixtures are supposed to be vented.
This allows for the air in the piping to “vent,” so the water can move through the pipe freely. If the vent is clogged, it can slow the water from draining properly. This can be a common problem if there is a build-up of leaves and other debris around the vent. You might want to have your vents cleaned regularly to prevent this from happening.
If you are experiencing bad drain smells and sink odors coming from your kitchen , it is important to try and identify the source of the smell as soon as possible. Once you know what is causing the smell, you can take steps to address the problem and hopefully get your kitchen smelling fresh again in no time!
How to Clean Your Smelly Kitchen Sink
We understand that some homeowners want to avoid harmful chemicals when dealing with a smell kitchen sink before having to result to professional help. Here are the most common ways to clean your foul smelling kitchen sink naturally:
Baking Soda and Vinegar
One way is to use a vinegar and baking soda mixture. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, and baking soda is great for removing grease and dirt.
To make the mixture, mix one part vinegar with three parts water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle, then spray it onto the sink’s surface. Let the vinegar sit for a few minutes, then wipe it away with a damp cloth.
Next, sprinkle some baking Soda over the area where the vinegar was sprayed, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Wipe the baking soda away with a damp cloth, then rinse the sink thoroughly with warm water.
Run Ice Cubes and Lemon Peels Through Your Garbage disposal
Another easy option is to run cold water through your garbage disposal after it has been running for a few minutes. This will knock off any food particles that are stuck in the blades, and if you throw some lemon peels down the drain too, they will leave your sink smelling clean. Just make sure to turn on the cold water before turning on your garbage disposal, otherwise this method won’t work at all.
Clean Your P-trap
The next option is to remove your P-trap under your kitchen sink, then clean it out with soap and hot water. Make sure to use rubber gloves when doing this job because plastics can deteriorate if exposed directly to very hot water. When cleaning out the trap, make sure not to splatter the dirty water. If there is a lot of grease or food in your trap, you may want to use some sort of old scrub brush instead of your hand.
