How do I fix a smelly kitchen sink
Nathan Sanders
Published Mar 14, 2026
Dump a good handful of baking soda into the drain, let sit (don’t run any water) for 15 minutes, then pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar down. Watch the bubbles, hear the pops and fizz, and let it sit for another 15 minutes. Then, boiling water and voila! It will be right as rain … at least for about six weeks.
Why does kitchen sink smell like sewer?
Usually, a sewer smell means that the water in the trap that blocks sewer gas has evaporated. This can happen if the sink hasn’t been used for awhile. If that’s the case, all you should have to do is run the sink and let the water fill back up in the trap.
How do you get rid of smelly sink pipes?
Baking Soda and Vinegar While your water is heating, pour one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar down your drain, and let the mixture sit. After about ten minutes, flush the drain with boiling water. Finish up by flushing the drain with cold tap water, and wait to see if the odor is gone.
What do you do when your sink smells like rotten eggs?
What you can do: Try this: put a couple teaspoons of baking soda in the drain and then pour in some vinegar. Then chase it with a pot of boiling water. The foaming of the baking soda/vinegar eats away at the junk in the drain and the boiling water helps wash it all away and sanitizes the drain.Can you pour bleach down a sink?
Bleach and cleaning fluids create toxic gasses when mixed together. If you pour bleach and other cleaning agents down your sink drains, and they mix in your pipes, you can contaminate the air in your home with the resulting gas created. The following items should never be poured down the sink with bleach: Vinegar.
How do you fix a smelly p-trap?
To eliminate odors coming from a dry p-trap, pour half a gallon of water into the trap to restore the barrier. It will prevent the odors from seeping through the drain. Another helpful method is to add a cup of white vinegar bleach to get rid of larvae and slow down the evaporation.
Does bleach get rid of egg smell?
Chlorine bleach can effectively remove medium to high levels (over 6 mg/l) of hydrogen sulfide. The chlorine in the bleach chemically reacts with (oxi- dizes) the hydrogen sulfide eliminating the “rotten egg” odor. Chlorine bleach also reacts with iron or manganese, and disinfects water supplies.
Is it safe to put baking soda and vinegar down the drain?
With time, baking soda and vinegar may work as a natural drain cleaner on weaker drain clogs, and the benefits of regular drain cleaning can help keep your drains free of clogs. But for tough drain clogs that need to be dissolved right away, you may want to use a stronger drain cleaner, like Liquid-Plumr.Why does my kitchen sink smell like sulfur?
What causes the sulfur smell in your drain? … The most common is a clogged, or partially clogged, drain. When sinks are clogged they drain slowly and bacteria can build up in the p-trap and create the hydrogen sulfide gas.
How do you clean a smelly drain without vinegar?Run Ice Cubes Through It For best results, follow the hot water method to clean your smelly drain first, and then push two cups of ice cubes past the rubber flange into your disposer. With the cold water tap going full blast, turn on your disposal and let it run for two minutes.
Article first time published onWhy does my sink smell musty?
The musty smell might come from the top of your drain. If your sink drain is functioning properly, a pool of water in the P-trap blocks sewer odors from wafting into the kitchen, so if you’re detecting musty smells under your kitchen sink or in the drain, they are probably coming from the top of the drain.
How do I get the sulfur smell out of my house?
Baking soda is well known for erasing odours. And the best thing is that it’s very easy to use and efficient too. If the smell is coming from your clothes then, soak them in baking soda before washing. You can also sprinkle baking soda in all the corners of your house to get rid of the sulphur scent.
Why do my pipes smell like rotten eggs?
If the odor smells of rotten eggs, chances are, your drain is to blame. This rotten egg smell is from a gas known as hydrogen sulfide. This gas is formed when bacteria grows in drains, the sewage or in the ground. Sometimes, it may be associated with contaminated water.
How do I get the hard boiled egg smell out of my house?
Open your windows, if possible, and place shallow bowls of vinegar around your kitchen as you peel the eggs. Air circulation will reduce odor, and vinegar will absorb and neutralize any lingering food odors in the kitchen.
Does Drano get rid of smell?
To get rid of this smell, try these solutions: Use a bio-enzyme drain cleaner These natural drain cleaners use enzymes that eat away at the food in your drain without harming your pipes. … We recommend avoiding harsh chemical drain cleaners like Drano and Liquid-Plumbr.
How long do I leave baking soda and vinegar in drain?
- Let hot water run for a minute to warm up the pipes.
- Drop in 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain.
- Pour in 1 cup of vinegar, cover the drain with a plug and let sit for 10 minutes – you will hear fizzing.
- Rinse with more hot water.
What is the best homemade drain cleaner?
Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup table salt and pour down the drain giving you trouble. Follow by pouring 1 cup of heated vinegar down the drain (it will foam and bubble). Cover the drain with a plug or duct tape to prevent the mixture from escaping. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Can you pour boiling water down drain?
Do NOT pour boiling water down your sink or toilet. While it’s probably okay to dump boiling water in the sink when your pipes are clear, a clog will trap the water in the pipe. This can melt PVC piping and pipe seals, causing serious damage.
Why does my sink stink when I turn the water on?
Your water smells of sewage due to bacteria in your drain pipe producing gases that arise when the faucet is turned on. … It is commonly caused by bacteria that forms in your hot water heater when it is run at low temperatures or turned off for a period of time. Hydrogen sulfide can be smelled at levels as low as .
Why does my sink smell like dead animal?
A buildup of soap scum, grease, food particles or rotting food can all contribute to bad odor issues in your kitchen sink. … Sometimes sponges can grow bacteria, or the remains of a dead animal could cause nasty odors.
How do I get rid of a musty smell in my kitchen sink?
- Mix one cup of white vinegar into the drain.
- Follow with one cup of baking soda.
- Let that sit for two hours.
- Pour one gallon of boiling water in the drain.
- Wait 10 minutes and flush with cold water for 10 minutes.
How do I get rid of a musty smelly drain?
- Pour half a cup of baking powder into the drain.
- Pour 1 cup of distilled white vinegar into the drain.
- Wait until the froth settles (about 15 minutes).
- Run hot water down the drain for 1 minute.
- Wait 5 minutes.
- Run cold water down the drain for 1 minute.
Why does my kitchen sink smell like dirt?
This is usually caused by putting food in the drain or not running the disposal long enough to properly dispose of waste. Baking soda and warm water can be used to rid the mold.
How do you get rid of the smell of water?
Chlorine is the most widely used oxidant to remove odor from water, but at best deemed mildly effective. Oxygen and potassium permanganate are also only mildly effective water treatment solutions. Oxidizers such as ozone and chlorine dioxide are by far the most efficient in eliminating odor from water.
How do you get rid of sulfur smell in water pipes?
Shock your well with chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide to get temporary relief from sulfur odors. Often keeps odors away for 1 – 2 months. 2. Chlorinator: Install a chlorine injector system (chlorinator) on your wellhead for continuous injection of chlorine when the water is running.
What smells like rotten eggs in a house?
Rotten Egg Smell If you come home one day and smell rotten eggs, it’s most likely hydrogen sulfide – the smell of sewer gas. … You might have heard that rotten eggs indicate a natural gas leak, and that the smell means you should evacuate and call 911.