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If you happen to notice odours coming from any drainage in your home, then attend to the problem immediately. You should never ignore drain odours.
If the smell is extremely awful, then your plumbing system might be having a problem, especially the vents. In case the smells coming from the drain feel musty, like how the interior of a rarely used suitcase smells, then there’s something wrong with your drainage system.
Musty odours coming from mould and sewer gas smells can make your home feel uninhabitable. Some of these smells can even make you feel nauseous.
While sewer gas problems seem to be more challenging to solve, they’re actually easier to deal with. However, you might have to climb the roof to fix the problem.
In case your sink is smelling like mould, then you can solve the issue by using some readily available ingredients. You might even have the ingredients in your kitchen.
Dealing with Smells from the Sink Drainage
A foul-smelling drain in your kitchen sink may smell like sewer gases despite the smell coming from decomposing food. Thus, you can confuse the smell of decomposing food with that of sewer waste since they smell the same.
However, if the smell is noticeable from a different drainage, then your vent might be blocked. A blocked vent prevents air from getting into the drainage pipes such that pressure won’t equalize.
Consequently, the P-traps in your drain lines will be emptied by a suction created by flowing water upon emptying the tub or flushing a toilet.
A P-trap is designed to hold water. The water acts as a seal that prevents sewer gases from backing up into the home. In case the vents get blocked, a suction empties the traps, thereby allowing sewer gases to back up into the home.
Besides being awful, sewer gases tend to be flammable and noxious. Thus, you should fix the problem soonest possible.
Blocked vents may be as a result of ice or debris covering the opening of the vent. You’ll need to climb the roof to access the opening of the vent.
Check whether it’s safe to climb your roof to clear any debris that may be blocking the vent. If you’re unable to fix the problem, then you should contact a local plumber for professional assistance.
Smells from the Sink Drainage
Organic matter shouldn’t linger within the drainage. It should get disposed of down the drainage into the septic tank.
However, congealed oils, hair, and starches can build up over time and prevent organic matter from getting disposed of down the drainage. Consequently, the drainage will turn into a favorable environment for mold and bacteria to thrive.
If your sink drainage is stinky, don’t attempt to clean it with bleach. Bleach contains chemicals that can damage the pipe.
The chemicals are especially dangerous if they get trapped in the sink drain P-trap. The best way of dealing with smells from the sink drainage is by using baking soda, hot water, and vinegar. In this case, pour baking soda (half cup) down the sink drain followed with a solution of hot water and vinegar.
The mixture makes a perfect cleaning solution that loosens the clogs and kills pathogens. Allow the solution to settle for at least 10 minutes and flush the drain with hot water.
If the sink drain is smelling like mildew, then it has buildup that requires physical removal. First, remove the sink P-trap by unscrewing the nuts holding it in place.
Use a thin, sturdy, and lengthy object like a metal rod or old chopstick to dislodge any buildup in the vertical drain pipe.
Cleaning Your Garbage Disposal
If the sink drain is having an odour, then it’s possible that the odour is coming from your garbage disposal. You can easily clean the disposal and deodourize it by adding 2 to 3 lemons into the disposal and grinding them.
Treating it this way is highly effective especially when you first add ice into the canister, followed by the lemons. You should add the lemons after slicing them into several pieces.
Adding ice allows the disposal more time to grind the lemons such that the acidic nature of the lemons cleans the disposal for a longer time.
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