10 Ways to Fix a Stinky Sink Drain Once and for All
No matter how diligent you are at keeping your kitchen sink clean, things can inevitably get into the drain and cause it to smell. If you find yourself dealing with a stinky sink drain, then you’ll want to try one of the tricks below!
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What Causes Bad Smells in the Kitchen Sink
There could be a number of reasons why you’re dealing with a stinky sink drain. You could have a clogged trap, dirty garbage disposal, or even a buildup of bacteria, food debris, or even mold and mildew. Clogs can occur when you regularly put things you should never put down the drain, such as grease, coffee grounds, and eggshells. Plus, if you aren’t regularly cleaning your kitchen sink and garbage disposal that can lead to a stinky situation
What Causes Bad Smells in the Kitchen Sink
There could be a number of reasons why you’re dealing with a stinky sink drain. You could have a clogged trap, dirty garbage disposal, or even a buildup of bacteria, food debris, or even mold and mildew. Clogs can occur when you regularly put things you should never put down the drain, such as grease, coffee grounds, and eggshells. Plus, if you aren’t regularly cleaning your kitchen sink and garbage disposal, that can lead to a stinky situation.
Tricks to Try If You Have a Garbage Disposal
Hot Water and Dish Soap
Start by letting a sink full of hot, soapy water flush through the garbage disposal while it’s running. This is the first step, and may do the trick!
Put a stopper in the sink and fill it with several inches of hot water.
Add a squirt of dish soap.
Turn on the disposal and unplug the sink to let the water flush through. (This is different from simply running the tap, as the disposal will actually fill with water.)
Ice Cubes, Coarse Salt, and Lemon Peels
If you’re still getting a funky smell, the next step is to make sure the disposal blades are clean and clear of lingering gunky food particles. The combination of ice cubes, coarse salt, and lemon is a three-punch cleaning wonder.
Throw a few ice cubes and a handful of kosher salt down the disposal. (The ice helps knock food off the grinder, while the salt scrubs the sides.)
Repeat with another round of ice cubes and kosher salt.
Grind up a few lemon peels in the disposal for added freshness.
Vinegar and Lemon Ice Cubes
A cleaning shortcut? Freeze lemon wedges in white vinegar, and then crush it in the disposal!
Slice a lemon into small (quarter-sized) wedges and place in muffin cups.
Pour distilled white vinegar into the cups.
Let the cubes set up in the freezer overnight.
Remove the cubes from the tray, and pop a few down the disposal.
Run a low stream of water and flip the switch.
Tricks to Try If You Don’t Have a Garbage Disposal
Boiling Water
The simple power of hot water is not to be underestimated. If you’ve just boiled water for something — a bit of pasta or a pot of tea, for example — don’t let it cool off on the stove. Instead, pour it down the sink. This may be enough to take care of milder drain smells. If not, keep going down this list to amp up the cleaning power, but as you’ll see, every tip ends with a good hot water flush!
Baking Soda, Vinegar, and Boiling Water
The most popular trick among readers for getting rid of sink drain smells? A bubbling, baking soda-and-vinegar mix, washed down with very hot water.
Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain.
Let it sit for 15 minutes (don’t run any water).
Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar down.
Let it sit for another 15 minutes.
Pour boiling water.
Baking Soda, Salt, Vinegar, and Boiling Water
Some readers swear that adding coarse salt to the tried-and-true baking soda and vinegar combo offers just enough extra abrasion to break up the gunk.
Pour 1/2 cup coarse salt down the drain.
Next, pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain.
Finally, pour 1 cup vinegar down the drain.
Cover the drain to get the bubbles working in the drain only (takes about 30 seconds).
Pour a kettle of boiling water through to get it all out and dissolve any remaining salt.
Baking Soda, Lemon Juice, and Boiling Water
Like vinegar, lemon juice also creates a bubbling reaction when it comes in contact with baking soda. It’s not as economical in this case as vinegar (being without a garbage disposal, you’d have to actually juice a lemon, as you can’t grind up an already-juiced-and-zested wedge), but it does smell much nicer!
Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain.
Let it sit for 15 minutes (don’t run any water).
Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice down.
Let it sit for another 15 minutes.
Pour boiling water.
Baking Soda, Essential Oils, and Boiling Water
If after dealing with a terrible smell all you want is to smell something really, really great, then put a few drops of your favorite essential oil, such as eucalyptus, tea tree, or mint, down the drain post-baking soda cleanse.
Pour in about a half-cup of baking soda.
Then, dribble in a few drops of essential oils.
Let it sit an hour or so, or overnight if you like.
Finally, rinse down with boiling water.
Hot Vinegar
The next time you clean your coffee maker, repurpose all that hot vinegar and use it to de-stink your drain!
Add a cup of baking soda down the drain.
Pour your leftover hot vinegar from cleaning your coffee maker.
How to Keep Your Kitchen Sink from Smelling
Is that smell finally gone? Keep it that way by periodically sprinkling baking soda down the drain to absorb odors. You can do this after you wash the dishes or just once a week, but it’s especially useful when you’re headed out of town and won’t be using your sink for a while.
Which of these tips — or any others not listed here! — have worked for your smelly sink drains?
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