Baking Soda and Vinegar A classic combination for clogged drains and sinks that deserves an honourable mention: combine 1/2 cup of baking soda with 1 cup of white vinegar.
Simply clean the sink by closing the drain, adding some soap and hot or boiling water, and leaving it for a few minutes. As you let the water drain away, you should scrub at the sides of the basin. This might help to eliminate the cause of the smell, if it is the basin that's the problem.
Perhaps the smell is coming from something decaying in the P-trap or in the piping between the sink drain and the P-trap. Bacteria feeding on clumps of hair clogged with soap scum, for example, can create a nasty smell.
One approach is to first pour a cup of baking soda and then a cup of white vinegar down the drain. After letting the mixture set for 15 to 20 minutes, run hot water into the drain to clear it. Utilizing a solution of one part water and one part chlorine bleach is another option.
Baking soda is abrasive, which, when used in large quantities, will cause the drain more damage. Additionally, the acidic nature of vinegar can eat away rubber and metal, damaging the plumbing. As these products break down the pipe and connectors in the plumbing in your home, it will cause more clogs over time.
Create a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, and pour it down the drains. Let it sit and start to work before flushing it with hot water, which should do the trick. Another trick you can use is to place coffee grounds or activated charcoal in a bowl in the bathroom to absorb the odors.
Bleach is highly effective in killing bacteria and other microbes causing the foul smell. However, it should be used sparingly to avoid damage to your plumbing system.
Vinegar. Vinegar has fantastic properties that help with bad smells within drains. Boil around one litre of white vinegar and pour half of it down the problematic drain. Rinse the drain out with cold water and follow with the rest of the boiled white vinegar.
As food that gets clogged in a drain or disposal decomposes, it emits gasses that cause unpleasant odors. So the first thing to do is check if there's a blockage or if something is stuck to the drain wall, not completely blocking the drain but staying in place.
The presence of bacteria thriving in the moist, organic-rich environment of the drain can contribute to the offensive odor. Proper maintenance, regular cleaning, and the use of natural or commercial drain cleaners can help mitigate these issues and keep sink drains smelling fresh.
Identifying a Dry P-Trap
Here are the signs to look out for: Persistent sewer gas odours near sinks or floor drains. Drains that gurgle or make unusual sounds. Infrequently used fixtures, such as guest bathrooms or utility sinks, are familiar places for dry P-traps.
You can also add a mixture of baking soda and vinegar along with hot water to help get rid of the odor. Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain followed by one cup of white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for about 10 to 15 mins and flush with hot water.
You can also deodorize drains and help smelly drains with a combination of baking soda and vinegar. These ingredients, when used together, can also sometimes help to clear drain clogs.
Drain Line Material
Chlorine bleach can quickly eat away at not only the line but the glue and cement joining the line to the fittings and the condensation pan. If your drain line is PVC, stick to white distilled vinegar for clearing clogs and debris, particularly during winter.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.
Dry P-Trap
If the P-trap goes dry, the barrier disappears, and the sewer gases have free rein to rise upward. The result can be a very smelly (and often very unsanitary) situation. Even worse, P-traps are most likely to dry out when a bathroom sink gets little use, such as in a guest bathroom.
Known as hydrogen sulfide, it forms when bacteria grows either in drains, sewage or in the ground. While it might be an embarrassing nuisance, that unpleasant smell is actually not a health risk, though it can sometimes be associated with contaminated water.
Build-up of waste in pipes: Over time, organic matter like hair, soap scum, and body oils accumulate in pipes, creating a smelly blockage that causes unpleasant bathroom odors.
Charcoal-based odor absorbers or baking soda can be placed near the source of the odor or in the affected rooms to absorb and neutralize the smell.