On a couple of occasions, you may experience odor in your kitchen. The pungent smell is not easy to disregard. It ruins your mood and appetite. And if your kitchen sink smells like rotten eggs, flies will visit you. That’s a hygiene concern. So, you need to determine the source of the odor and apply a few DIY tricks to treat the issue.
If your kitchen sink smells like rotten eggs and there are no dirty kitchenware, then the reason is a faulty drain. There is an accumulation of molds and bacteria. They feed on food debris and dirty water, hence the foul smell of gases. Usually, it is the hydrogen sulfide gas that smells like sewer. You have no option but to clean the drain.
Kitchen Sink Drain Smells Like Rotten Eggs: 5 Reasons!
There are five reasons why your kitchen under sink drain is smelling. Have a look at the causes;
1. Food Residues
After using your kitchen sink, food residues can accumulate and decompose in the drain pipe. That happens if you do not use the garbage disposal bag to empty food waste. The residues form a compact matter, which prevents water flow. After a while, the waste begins rotting and emits a foul odor and so your kitchen smells sewer.
2. Oil And Grease Accumulation
Greasy foods and cooking oil are significant causes of odor in kitchen drains. When you pour old oil into the drain, it sticks to the surface and begins to decompose. Also, after cleaning greasy utensils, the bubbly water goes down the drain, but the fat remains on the surface. You must cleanse the gutter to avoid the pungent smell in your kitchen.
3. Clogged Plumbing System
Clogging happens when residues such as papers, threads, peels, and other materials accumulate in the primary plumbing system. Water becomes stagnant, causing a kitchen sink smells like rotten eggs. Mostly, clogging happens if there is poor plumbing where traps are missing. The clogs and dirty water causes bacteria accumulation hence the sewer gas emission. Your plumbing system is complex, so you should hire a professional to resolve it.
4. Lack Of Use
When you go on vacation and come back home, you may experience a smelly kitchen, bathrooms, and wash basins. The problem is in the P-trap. This trap holds water when you frequently use your sink. When not used, water evaporates and causes a terrible smell from the plumbing line. Pouring water in the P-trap helps.
5. Mold And Mildew
The drain is ever wet. Due to this, moisture, mold, and mildew can grow and cause a faint smell in your kitchen. If you clean your drains infrequently, their molds will grow and give you hard times in your home. Make it a regular maintenance exercise.
What To Do If Your Kitchen Sink Smells Like Rotten Eggs
First, you need to grasp that the drain is the issue. Once you determine the cause of the smell in your kitchen, you can kick off the odor easily. Here are the steps to ensure that your kitchen drain does not smell like a sewer;
You Will Need The Following;
- Hot water
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Coarse salt
- Lemon juice
- Essential oils
Note that you will only need to use some of the above at a time.
1. Hot Water
The easiest is boiled water, which is readily available in your kitchen. Boil about 5 liters of water and pour it into the sink. Hot water does the following;
- Peel off and flush down the molds and mildew.
- Kill bacteria.
- Melt grease and oils.
- Disintegrate compact residues and clogs.
2. Vinegar, Baking Soda, And Hot Water
The above cocktail does magic to clogged drains. Once you mix the baking soda and vinegar, it will bubble. Pour it into the sink and hold on for about five minutes. Wash the mixture down with hot water. You only need a cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar, a voila! Your kitchen drain will be crystal clear.
3. Vinegar, Baking Soda, Hot Water, And Coarse Salt
You get better results when you add coarse salt to mixture number two (vinegar, baking soda, and hot water). The salt adds abrasion to the solution and is a great remedy if your kitchen sink smells like rotten eggs. That breaks up the muck, so everything goes down the drain when you pour in hot water. You only need to add a half cup of coarse salt to the baking soda and vinegar. Once you run the vinegar and baking soda in the sink, wait for the bubbling to stop. Add salt and our hot water to cleanse the sink.
4. Baking Soda, Hot Water, And Essential Oils (Eucalyptus, Mint, Rosemary, Lemon, Or Tea Tree)
The above combo is excellent for eliminating the terrible smell in your kitchen. All you need to do is mix a cup of baking soda with several drops of essential oils. Leave the mixture overnight, then pour hot water to cleanse the drain. The oils add an aroma to your kitchen space.
5. Call A Plumber!
After using all the above concoctions, the smell should go. But it could be beyond your ability. Call a plumber to assist you in unclogging your drains. They will ask you to use your disposal bag when washing your dishware. Empty the remaining and rinse the utensils before dropping them in the dishwasher or sink.
Final Words
You got all the answers why your kitchen sink smells like rotten eggs and the solution too. Don’t let pungent smell kill your appetite. Good luck!
