We’ve all been there before: you wake up one Saturday morning and go to the kitchen to make some breakfast for yourself and your family. But before you even make it over to the sink you’re hit right in the face with an unpleasant odor that totally wipes away your appetite, to say the least.
It’s obvious to you that the smell is coming from your sink, but you’re not quite sure what the odor is, and if you should be all that concerned about it or not.
But what exactly is causing your sink to smell that bad? And what can you do to make those odors go away for good? Well, if you’re asking yourself these questions, wonder no longer, because we’re here to help!
In this article, we’ll discuss a few common reasons why your kitchen sink smells bad, and even tell you what you can do about it to fix the issue yourself.
Now then, let’s get started!
Rotting Food Stuck in the Disposal or Drain
Without a doubt, the most common cause for a smelly sink is when pieces of rotting food get stuck in the disposal or drain. Even if you try to limit the amount of food you put down your disposal and run hot water afterward to wash it all down, this can often be an unpreventable issue.
The good news? If that’s your problem, it’s a pretty easy fix that you can take care of yourself.
Use an Enzyme Drain Cleaner Product
If you believe that food particles are stuck in your drain or disposal, and that’s what is causing your sink to smell bad, try using an enzyme drain cleaner. You can find these at just about any store that sells cleaning products, and you should notice a difference within in a few hours.
Sometimes hot water isn’t enough to fix your problem. These enzyme drain cleaners contain chemicals that work quickly to break down the food particles into smaller pieces. Mixed with water, this allows them to wash down the drain and out of your sink, taking the smell that they produce with them.
A good rule of thumb? Try to do this as soon as you notice any strange smells coming from your sink. It’s better to try to get ahead of the game then to let the food buildup in your drain or disposal over time, creating a bigger problem.
Put Lemon and Orange Slices in the Disposal
Combating the smell of rotting food in your disposal by putting more food in your disposal might sound a bit counterproductive, but hear us out.
There’s a reason that so many cleaning products are lemon and orange-scented. It’s a pleasant smell that we as humans naturally associate with the word “clean”.
Also, both lemons and oranges make great natural cleaning products that are safe to use around kids and animals, which is an added bonus.
So if you’re someone who eats a lot of oranges, put the peels in your disposal when you’re done. That citrus smell will help keep things smelling better while cleansing the blades between major cleanings.
Sewer Backup Coming Up From the Drain
If you have a sewer-like smell coming from your kitchen sink or any sink in your house, you’ve got a bit of a bigger issue on your hands.
Oftentimes the problem lies within the trap, which is a “P” or “U” shaped pipe found under the sink. This is especially common if you haven’t run water down the sink in some time, as the trap needs to hold water to function correctly.
The good news is, simply running some water down the sink to allow the trap to fill back up should fix your problem. If it doesn’t, you may have to take the trap apart and clean it, then reinstall it, to make sure nothing is preventing the trap from working properly.
This isn’t terribly difficult to do if you have some experience working with basic plumbing tools and materials. However, it’s worth noting that improper reinstallation of a trap could lead to a leaky sink, which can result in serious water damage to your kitchen.
So if you’re not super familiar with plumbing, it’s a good idea to call a professional out to do this for you.
Call a Plumber
There are some home repairs that you can take a DIY approach with and some that you can’t. Plumbing issues are not usually one of those DIY areas. Because more often than not, you’re only going to make matters worse by trying to fix plumbing issues yourself.
So if you’re dealing with a serious problem with your kitchen sink or any other plumbing in your home, call a professional immediately. You and everyone in your home can become seriously ill if you don’t address these issues fast, so don’t wait around too long before making a call.
Why Your Kitchen Sink Smells and How To Fix It
Well, there you have it! Those are a few common reasons why your kitchen sink smells, as well as a few things you can do about it yourself.
If you believe that the smell is from rotting food that lodged in your drain or disposal, pick up some drain cleaner and give that a shot. Also, it’s a good idea to put citrusy fruit like lemons and oranges in your disposal after use, as those smell good and help keep things clean.
If you have a sewer-like smell coming from your drain, it’s probably your sink’s trap that’s causing the issue. If you’re not comfortable addressing this yourself, or if the problem is too advanced for you, call a professional ASAP.
Having some plumbing issues in your home? Need a professional to come take a look? Book an appointment with us online today, we’ll be glad to assist you!
