As a homeowner, you work hard to keep your home as clean as possible. Unfortunately, foul odors can appear unexpectedly — especially in your kitchen sink drain. Whether the smell reminds you of rotten food or sewage, you probably want to remove it immediately. However, the only way to fix the problem is to know what’s causing it.
So, why does your kitchen sink smell bad? Various problems with your plumbing problems could be causing this stink to rise out of your drain. Let’s discuss some of the potential reasons your kitchen sink drain smells bad and what you can do to fix it.
Clogged Drain
If you’ve had the unfortunate experience of dealing with a clogged drain, you know many types of food debris can cause a blockage in your kitchen sink drain. These food particles include everything from grease and coffee grounds to potato peels.
Why does your kitchen sink smell when there’s a clog? The reason is pretty self-explanatory. When these food items collect in your drains, they can start to rot. As a result, you can encounter the bad smells associated with decaying fruits and vegetables — among other things. A clogged vent can also cause the foul odors you’re experiencing.
There are many ways to remove drain clogs. Sometimes, a combination of boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar can do the trick. Baking soda and vinegar create a chemical reaction in the drain while the hot water flushes it out. However, some stubborn drain blockages will require a professional Las Vegas drain cleaning.
Blocked Sewer Line
If you’re dealing with sink smells that remind you of the sewer, then there’s a good chance that sewer gas is rising up through the drain. In some instances, these foul odors can be caused by a clogged or damaged sewer line.
Clogged sewer lines are not something you should avoid. With this problem, you may experience multiple drains clogged simultaneously throughout your home — among other issues that can disrupt your daily routine.
If your kitchen sink drain smells bad because of a sewer problem, you’ll need to hire a plumbing company to fix the problem. The technicians will thoroughly clean the sewer line or provide you with the necessary repair.
Dry P-Trap
If you’re dealing with drains that smell like sewage, there could be an issue with the sink’s P-trap. More specifically, there’s a chance that the P-trap is dry.
Why does your kitchen sink smell when you have a dry P-trap? On any regular day, your P-trap will contain a small amount of water. This reservoir of water prevents sewer gases from rising up through the sink and entering your home. However, if the P-trap dries out, there will no longer be a barrier between these sewer gases and your kitchen.
The good news is that it’s usually easy to fix a dry P-trap. In most cases, all you really need to do is pour a gallon of water into the drain to restore the water that has been lost.
Dirty Garbage Disposal
If your kitchen sink drain smells bad and a clogged drain or sewer problem isn’t to blame, you might want to look closely at your garbage disposal. Your disposal might be dirty, sending foul, food-related odors into your home.
You can take various steps to clean your garbage disposal and remove any unpleasant odors. For example, you might want to begin by cleaning the splash guard and manually removing any food particles you see. Of course, you’ll want to put safety first! Remember to shut off your garbage disposal and disconnect the power leading to it.
After thoroughly cleaning the garbage disposal, you can grind up ice cubes and salt to remove any remaining food particles. You may also want to consider grinding up citrus peels to infuse your disposal with a bright, refreshing scent.
Have a Clogged Drain? Call Our Professional Plumbers!
So, why does your kitchen sink smell? As you can see, there can be many reasons for this unpleasant problem. The plumbing systems in our homes are complex, so you can encounter many unexpected problems over the years.
Whether you’re dealing with rotten food odors or sewer smells, call Pure Plumbing & Air for help! Our plumbing experts offer everything from sewer services to drain cleaning in Las Vegas to meet your needs.
We’ve been a trusted source for top-tier plumbing solutions since 2013. If your kitchen sink drain smells bad and you’d like to schedule a drain cleaning with our certified plumbers, contact us today!
