Reduce Household Smells by Cleaning Your Drains

Are you aware of the many benefits of getting a professional drain cleaning done on a regular basis? First, you will reduce the likelihood that you'll have to deal with the mess, expense, and inconvenience of a plumbing clog. Second, your water quality will be better. Third, you will experience a cleaner home overall because your drains will be fresh smelling.

If you neglect your drains, very soon you might start noticing unpleasant odors wafting through your home. If this is happening to you, don't worry. It is usually caused by a handful of situations and is easily solved. Here is what you need to know.

Reasons to Call Your Plumber

If you’ve ever experienced smelly plumbing, then you know exactly what we are talking about.

The odor that comes from pipes containing organic matter such as food or hair stuck in it, or a drain that has become otherwise compromised, can be overwhelming.

You can try some methods by trial and error to get rid of it yourself, or you can rely on your local plumber (and their tools and training) to get to the bottom of the problem in the fastest way possible. You get peace of mind and a fresh-smelling home again!

Is it Your Sink?

One of the major causes of smelly plumbing can be your sink. If there is an abundance of food scraps that have fallen down the drain in your kitchen, that matter will gather in the drains and start to smell as it decomposes.

To avoid this problem, be mindful of food falling down your sink. Put it in the garbage or compost instead. Try to trap hair before it can go down your bathroom's drains. You should also consider getting regular drain cleaning just to be sure.

Another sink-related smell problem has to do with the P-trap and is more commonly seen in sinks that aren’t used very often (like your basement or guest bathrooms). If the P-trap, which is the curved part of the plumbing under the sink, is dry, then you will experience sewer smells. The P-trap is supposed to have a cushion of water to block the gas from entering your home.

But this has an easy fix: just run the water more often!

Pipes and Sulfur

If the scent is like rotten eggs, sulfur is the culprit. You'll have to determine if the smell is coming from your pipes or from the water itself because both require different solutions.

So you need to do a smell test. Just pour two glasses of water, each from a different tap. If they both smell, it is the water. If only one smells, it is the plumbing.

In between your regular drain cleanings, freshen your drains every month by putting equal parts baking soda and white vinegar down the drain. Together, they will foam up and loosen debris that may cause smells. Then, you simply flush with hot water. It really works!