Hot Water or Vinegar To start, bring water or white vinegar to a simmering point (when tiny bubbles appear). Pour half the amount down the drain slowly. After a few minutes, pour in cold water so any remaining gunk solidifies, and then pour in the leftover hot water or vinegar to wash away the rest of the gunk.
As the water is close to boiling, pour a couple of teaspoons of baking soda into the drain, followed by a couple of teaspoons of vinegar. Then carefully pour the scalding-hot water down the drain. Doing this will create a foamy mixture that eats away at the clogged substances and removes the foul odors.
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.
To clean your smelly drains, use a quality drain cleaner like Liquid-Plumr ® Pro-Strength Clog Destroyer Gel. The thick gel formula will dissolve drain clogs, prevent new ones and get rid of drain smells and odors.
Chlorination can kill sulfur bacteria. If all bacteria are not destroyed by chlorination, the problem may return within a few weeks. Increase the water heater temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius) for several hours. This will destroy the sulfur bacteria.
Drains that reek of rotten eggs can be the result of many different problems. Although a simple solution of equal parts baking soda and vinegar will often freshen funky drains up, pervasive sulfur smells sometimes indicate the need for professional attention.
The chlorine in the bleach chemically reacts with (oxi- dizes) the hydrogen sulfide eliminating the "rotten egg" odor. Chlorine bleach also reacts with iron or manganese, and disinfects water supplies.
Clean the drain thoroughly to get rid of this nasty smell. Pour half a cup of baking soda into the drain, wait for 20 minutes and, then, add a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Alternatively, add distilled white vinegar into the baking soda in the drain, pause until frothing stops and, then, pour in hot water.
Clogged Drain
When sinks get clogged, they start to drain slowly. Over time, bacteria builds up in the P-trap, creating hydrogen sulfide gas.
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.
If you put too much baking soda down a drain onto a clog, it can sit on the clog and become a solid mass as it is subjected to more and more water. This will make the block worse and even harder to remove.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Solution
One of the most popular and effective home remedies for smelly drains involves the use of baking soda and vinegar.
Yes, hydrogen peroxide is safe to use in drains. It's gentler than many commercial drain cleaners and does not cause pipe corrosion, making it a reliable choice for routine drain maintenance.
Use the Cleaning Power of Baking Soda
Then quickly block the drain tightly and wait a few seconds. The reaction will not only help force any blockages in your line to become dislodged, but will also start scrubbing any smelly residue off the inside walls of your drain line.
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. After this you should have an odorless clean drain!
If your drain smells like rotten eggs, you must disinfect the pipes to get rid of the odor. You can eliminate the bacteria by pouring a ½ cup of bleach down your drains. However, if you would like an alternative, pour down ½ a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar.
To use bleach to kill odor-causing bacteria, first, fill your sink with hot water. Then, add about one cup of regular household bleach to the sink. After you've added the bleach, allow the sink to drain. Repeat the process until the drain smells more like bleach than anything else.
Sewer gas produces a very distinct rotten egg smell, caused when organic materials break down and decompose to form hydrogen sulfide. If you're unsure about the smell coming from your drains or sewers, call a licensed plumber who can perform an inspection or clear and clean blockages.
As I mentioned, one excellent approach uses hydrogen peroxide injection and subsequent filtration. This eliminates all causes of sulphur water, regardless of the source. Some systems use chlorine to get rid of sulphur smell, but these are more costly, more troublesome and less healthy than hydrogen peroxide.
The Cheapest Solution: Degassing the Water
Simply pour the water into a glass and let it sit for 24 hours. The air will oxidize the sulphur out of the water and then the smell will be gone. Now, obviously, if you want more than a glass or two of water a day, you're going to want a whole-house solution.
Ordinary household water softeners do not remove sulfur odors from water. In fact, softeners easily become fouled or clogged, reducing their softening capacity.
Shock your well with chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide to get temporary relief from sulfur odors. Often keeps odors away for 1 – 2 months. 2. Chlorinator: Install a chlorine injector system (chlorinator) on your wellhead for continuous injection of chlorine when the water is running.