Did you know that the kitchen is the one place in your home with the most germs and bacteria? That’s right; your kitchen contains more germs than the bathroom. This is because the kitchen is where we prepare our food and dispose of the leftovers that turn into food waste.

Despite all the attempts to clean your kitchen drain, it still ends up smelling like sewage or rotten food. Dirty kitchen sinks smell more than anything when not maintained and cleaned correctly. When your kitchen sink smells foul daily, it may be a clear indication that something is wrong with your kitchen sink plumbing.

What’s causing your kitchen sink to smell bad?

1. Drain is Unused

When your sink drain pipes go unused for a long time, they will start to smell. The reason behind this is the trap that is inside every kitchen drain. When you rarely use your sink, the water that is supposed to be continuously flowing in the sink will evaporate, causing the sewage smell to enter your home.

To eliminate this issue, all you have to do is run hot water down the drain.

2. Greasy Drain

One of the most common reasons why your kitchen sink drain stinks is because you dump way too much grease and used oil in there, causing major clogs and smells to occur. The grease solidifies inside the pipeline and slowly decomposes. This decomposition is where the rotten smell originates. The best way to eliminate this problem is to avoid dumping used oil in your drainage system. Aside from the fact that it smells horrible when it decomposes, it can also cause major pipe blockages. When it does happen, you can remove the smell by creating a baking soda and vinegar solution and pouring it down the drain, followed by boiling water.

3. Dirty Garbage Disposal

Your garbage disposal needs to have running water to clean it regularly and banish the food waste. However, small pieces of food can still get stuck inside your garbage disposal and result in a foul-smelling drain system. Certain factors contribute to dirty garbage disposals, such as not enough cold water running in the drainage system after use, not paying attention to the replacement needed, and dumping too much food in the garbage disposal.

Anyone can avoid this by putting some ice cubes down the disposal and running cold water to eradicate the food debris that gets stuck to the pipe wall.

4. Clogged Plumbing Vent

The primary purpose of the plumbing vent is to provide air in your drain pipe to ensure that water runs smoothly constantly. However, when it gets clogged, sewer gases can enter your kitchen through the same vent and cause unpleasant odors.

If you want to know how to get rid of the kitchen sink smell caused by a clogged plumbing vent, regularly inspect if there are any blockages and remove all the waste build-up. If you notice massive blockages inside the plumbing vent, it may be time to call a professional plumber for help.

5. Food Debris Stuck in the Pipes

When you shred your leftover food in the garbage disposal, you might think that you automatically have clean pipes. However, that is rarely the case. Most of the time, food waste gets stuck at the bottom of the drain pipes, leading to drain pipe clogging.

Always remember that greasy food tends to harden on the lining of the pipe wall. This hardening will eventually lead to mold that causes a rotten smell in your kitchen. To avoid food waste build-up in your drain pipes, you can create a homemade drain solution with liquid detergent, vinegar, baking powder, and hot water. Pour the solution down the drain twice a month to get rid of the waste and foul odor.

Best Solutions To Get Rid of Kitchen Sink Smells

If you are constantly asking yourself, “Why does my kitchen sink smell,” well here are some of the best DIY drain cleaning solutions you can use at home:

• Boiling water
• White vinegar
• Baking soda

You can mix all of the ingredients and gradually pour the solution down your drain to eliminate the smell and waste build-up. Do this biweekly, and you won’t have a problem dealing with a stinky sink anymore.

If you find yourself dealing with more than just a smelly kitchen sink, Absolute Electrical Heating and Air is here to help you with any of your plumbing issues. Our plumbers in Denver, CO, are trained and experienced in dealing with different plumbing issues to guarantee that our clients will have a clean and comfortable home. Call us now!