If your kitchen sink drain develops a foul odor that won't go away no matter how many commercial cleaners you use, try a natural cleaning solution instead. Ammonia, bleach and other commercial cleaners give off harsh scents that can overpower your home. If the harsh odors blend in with the bad odors in your sink, the problem becomes worse. You can remove the foul sink odors with hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice and plain dish detergent. Here's what you do.
Bubble Away the Gunk With Peroxide
The first thing you want to do is break down the gunk inside the drain's opening to make it easier to get rid of the scent. Grease and other fatty substances can clog up the drain when you wash chicken and other meat products in the sink. The substances can eventually rot and attract bacteria. This is how the foul scent develops in the drain.
Placing two capfuls of hydrogen peroxide into the opening of the drain reduces the size of the odorous clog. Hydrogen peroxide forms a chemical reaction whenever it comes into contact with microorganisms, such as bacteria. Because meat fat contains animal cells, peroxide will react to it by bubbling and fizzing.
After you pour the peroxide into the drain, give the chemical 10 minutes to break down the gunk. Now, move to the next step.
Flush the Drain With Dish Detergent and Hot Water
To flush out the drain, pour one capful of dish detergent into it. Wait at least five minutes for the detergent to coat the surfaces of the drain, then turn on the hot water tap. The hot water will help the detergent clean out the drain. Leave the water on for five minutes, then turn it off.
Use a sponge to wipe down the inside of the sink and around the faucet. You want to remove as much grease and animal fat as you can from the sink, or else it can create more problems for you.
After you finish cleaning the sink, pour three capfuls of white vinegar down the drain to freshen it up. Vinegar contains acids that help control bacteria and the odors they produce. It's a good idea that you give the vinegar at least 15 minutes to work. Because vinegar is a safe, natural cleaner, you don't have to rinse out the sink or flush the drain to remove it.
Give the cleaning at least two days to work properly. If your sink develops an odor during that time, contact a plumbing contractor, like Always On Call Mountain Mechanical, for help. You may have other problems with your sink drain or plumbing system.
Share