If you’ve ever experienced a foul smell coming from your drain, you aren’t alone. Smelly drains are a common plumbing issue experienced by home and business owners alike, and fortunately, they’re usually easy to fix. Understanding the cause of drain odors can also help prevent them from developing by helping you take preventative measures.

There are many causes of drain odors, including blockages formed by food, hair, and other obstructions collecting in your pipes. Bacteria collect around these blockages, and as they grow, they produce odors that can travel back up your pipes. These odors are often blocked by your P-trap, the 180-degree bend in your drain that contains water.

The water in your P-trap can evaporate, or if your sewage gets backed up through the plumbing system, it can invade the P-trap, allowing foul odors to seep through. Whatever the cause, there are many simple ways to fix this issue and keep your home smelling fresh. Read our guide to drain cleaning to learn our tips and tricks.

Run the Garbage Disposal

Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best. If the foul smell is coming from your kitchen sink, odds are that a blockage of food and other debris caused it. As you’d expect, rotting food produces a particularly foul smell. You can fix this problem by running the tap for a few moments, turning on your garbage disposal, and letting it run for 10 to 15 seconds.

Any remaining food should be obliterated, and the flowing tap should wash it down your drain, removing the source of the smell. You can further improve the situation by cutting up lemon, lime, or other strongly scented fruit and tossing these chunks into the running garbage disposal. As it shreds the fruit, it will release its fresh scents, cleansing your drains.

Refill the Plumbing Trap

If you go extended periods without using your drains, either by washing your hands or rinsing dishes, the water in your P-trap can evaporate, allowing foul odors to drift up and out of your drains. Evaporation can happen anywhere between a few hours and a few days; all you have to do to fix this is refill the P-trap.

You can do this by running the faucet for 10 to 15 seconds for sink drains or by filling a tub or shower for a minute and allowing the water to drain. In the event that it happens with a toilet — it’s rare, but it does happen — all you have to do is flush! As the water drains, some of it will get trapped in the P-trap, creating an odor barrier for your plumbing system.

Use Baking Soda

If you want to blast blockages and smelly residue from your pipes, the classic combination of baking soda and vinegar may be all you need. The chemical reaction between these two ingredients has powerful cleaning abilities, creating enough pressure to dislodge obstructions while cleansing your pipes of odor-causing bacteria.

Put a few tablespoons of baking soda down your drain, followed by a few tablespoons of plain white vinegar, then block the drain and wait for the magic to happen. As the ingredients mix and react, they’ll tear debris from your pipes, leaving them smelling fresh and clean. It will also clear the way for efficient drainage, preventing food from getting stuck and recreating the problem.

Schedule Professional Drain Cleaning Service

If all else fails, you can schedule a professional drain cleaning service from trusted technicians. Professionals can complete thorough inspections, identify blockages or leaks, and complete successful repairs that leave your drains clean and your home fresh. 

At ProFlo, we offer reliable drain cleaning alongside other plumbing maintenance services. If your home is smelly or your pipes are leaky, call ProFlo today at 951-694-1300 or contact us online for a free estimate.