Smelly Drain Solutions

There is nothing worse than a foul smell coming from the drains in your kitchen or bathroom. If you have tried all of the common cleaning methods and are still noticing an unpleasant smell of sulfur, why not try some of these helpful hints in order to properly clean and clear your drains.

One area of the drain that often gets over looked and is particularly prone to the build up of residue and grime is the drain pop up. Release the stopper and thoroughly clean this whole section of drainage. When residue builds up excessively in this area, it can lead to further problems in more difficult to access sections of the drainage.

The next action that should be taken in order to tackle your foul smelling drains is to ensure that there are no blockages causing the problem. Carefully use a screwdriver or clothes hangers to release and pull out any hair or grime that is creating a blockage and then follow this step by flushing hot water down the pipe. Removing the grime will go along way to getting rid of the odor but hot water is necessary to kill any bacteria and push smaller gunk down and out of the drain.

In the case of particularly big blockages or ones that occur out of access to a long screwdriver, your only option may be to get under the sink and dissemble part of the piping. The elbow pipe serves an important purpose of storing water to prevent sewer gases from moving back up the pipe and into the home.  Sometimes the accumulation of gunk in the elbow is the cause of the foul odor so cleaning this area of pipe every so often can prove to be beneficial.

If your drain still has a foul odor, call your plumber or sewer septic professional to have you drain lines and sewer system inspected.  You may need professional drain cleaning or the smell could be a sign of a more serious problem.