Your kitchen sink is a very busy place. It’s where you wash your hands, scrub your dishes, and prep your food. If the sink is faulty, all of this activity can lead to a build-up of debris and grime in its drain. This can cause nasty odours to escape and fill your kitchen with an unpleasant smell.

To make matters worse, food and grease can stick to your kitchen sink’s pipes and start to rot. This can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria, which can also cause unpleasant smells. Whether you have a garbage disposal or not, the items that go down your drain can cause odours if they’re not dealt with on time.

If you’re having trouble getting rid of a bad smell in your kitchen, it’s time to call in a professional. The experts at Rick’s Plumbing will be able to quickly identify the source of the problem and provide a solution.

If your kitchen sink is the source of foul odours in your home, read on to find the likely causes and what you can do to clean it and eliminate the smell.

Grease in Kitchen Drain

One of the most common causes of bad smells coming from kitchen sinks is grease. When you wash dishes, grease and oil can build up in your kitchen sink’s drain. Over time, this build-up can start to rot, which will cause a nasty smell. You can also encounter this problem if you are in the habit of pouring vegetable oil or cooking grease into your sink’s drain.

To solve this problem, you will need to clean your sink’s drain. This can be done by pouring a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Let this mixture sit for ten minutes, then flush it with hot water.

Dirty Garbage Disposal

If you have a garbage disposal, it’s important to be mindful of what you’re putting down it. Many people think that because they have a garbage disposal, they can put anything down the drain. However, items like grease, oil, fat, and bones can get stuck in the blades. If you pour grease into your garbage disposal, it can solidify and cause clogs. All of these will rot and cause smells.

This issue with your garbage disposal is worse if:

• You have an old garbage disposal.
• You use your garbage disposal frequently.
• You run hot water with your garbage disposal.
• You do not run hot water with it.

To clean your garbage disposal and get rid of bad smells, get a cup of salt and two cups of ice cubes. Turn on the cold water faucet and your garbage disposal for about 20 seconds. Then drop the salt and ice into it. Let it run until you can’t see the ice cubes anymore. Cutting the ice in cold water will help remove the blades’ gunk.

To prevent odour, drop orange, grapefruit, or lemon rinds down the disposal. These will act as a natural freshener for your garbage disposal. You can also put a few drops of lemon juice and vinegar.

Trap Problems

Does your kitchen sink smell more like a sewer than rotting food? If yes, you may have a trap problem. The p-trap is a curved section of pipe under your sink that prevents odours and sewer gases from coming up through the drain.

A drain’s P-trap is designed to hold water in order to form a seal that prevents sewer gases from entering your home through the drain. However, if your P-trap doesn’t have enough water, the seal will be broken, and sewer gases will escape. The water may evaporate if the sink hasn’t been used for a long time. If you think this is the case, run some water in the sink to refill the P-trap. While doing this, check the trap for leaks.

Another issue could be that your P-trap is clogged. To fix this issue, take out the P-trap and clean it. You can do this by using a toothbrush and a cleaning agent. Be careful not to damage the P-trap, as it’s easy to break. When you’re done, replace the P-trap and run some water to see if the smell is gone. If the problem persists, you may have to replace the P-trap entirely or give us a call.

Clogged Vent

If your P-trap is not the source of the problem, your home’s plumbing drain vent could be clogged. The vents connect your main sewer line to the outside. They allow air to flow into the drain system to equalize the pressure and keep water flowing down the drain. If the vents are blocked, this can cause a suction that will pull water out of the traps, allowing sewer gases to escape into your home.

Because plumbing vents are located on rooftops, bird nests or other blockages can prevent the vent from working properly. A leak in the vent’s shaft may also cause sewer gases to leak into your home. If you think your plumbing vents are blocked or leaking, give us a call and we will look. Roof vents can be dangerous to repair, so it’s best to leave it to the professionals.

Call Caspian’s Plumbing For Professional Assistance

If you’ve tried these solutions and you’re still having trouble getting rid of bad smells in your kitchen, it may be time to call a professional. The experts at Caspian’s Plumbing will be able to diagnose the problem and find a solution that works for you. We have the experience and knowledge to get your kitchen smell fresh and clean in no time. Contact us today at 778-688-7924.