Asking yourself, “Why does my sink stink?” There are many possible causes for bad sink smells, including clogs, rotting food and sewage problems. Finding the exact cause of your smelly sink will help best determine how to get rid of the odors.
The worst odors can permeate throughout an entire home, making it almost impossible to stay indoors. Some of these odors can even make you sick, especially ones caused by sewer gas.
Read on if you’re having trouble determining why your sink has a bad odor.
Food debris
Food debris can get stuck in your garbage disposal and eventually rot, resulting in disgusting smells. Thankfully, cleaning a garbage disposal is extremely quick and easy. Simply pour some baking soda and white vinegar into your garbage disposal, and let the mixture sit for a few minutes. After that, run some warm water down the sink, and turn on your garbage disposal.
Another great way of getting rid of food-caused odors is by placing ice cubes in your garbage disposal and pouring some salt on top. Turn on your garbage disposal to break up any caked-on gunk.
Avoid using drain cleaners containing harsh chemicals, as these could damage your drain system.
Bacteria growth
Why does your kitchen sink stink? Most of the time, bacteria cause these foul odors. Grease, soap and hair can all collect in your drain over time. These clumps provide the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and can produce a gas that has a similar odor to sewage or rotten eggs. You don’t want these bacteria spreading throughout your home, as it could make someone sick. Especially harmful forms of bacteria that can grow in sinks include salmonella, E. coli and staph.
Prevent bacteria from growing in your drain by regularly cleaning your sinks with warm dishwater and soap. Be sure to also get rid of any clogs as soon as possible.
P-trap problems
Ever wondered about the purpose of that curved pipe underneath your sink? This part of your drainage system is called a P-trap, and it prevents bad odors from drifting up your sink with a wall of water. Sometimes the P-trap dries up, allowing a sewage smell to travel up your sink. If you notice a sewage-like smell, try running some water in the sink. This should create another barrier of water in the P-trap.
A rarely-used water heater
While not common, sinks that have bad odors can be caused by an old water heater. If you have a water heater that hasn’t been used in a while, flush it. Smells caused by water heater problems include sulfur, rotten eggs and sewage.
Still can’t figure out why your sink has a bad odor?
Contact an experienced plumber in your area right away. Fixing those small plumbing problems right away can help prevent the need for expensive repairs down the line.
If you’re in need of top-quality plumbing services at fair prices, contact Barr Plumbing Service, Inc. today. We can help you figure out why your sink stinks.