If a kitchen or bathroom sink drain still smells after removing trapped hair and using the baking soda and vinegar, there may be something caught in the p-trap that's causing the odor.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
Dump a good handful of baking soda into the drain, let sit (don't run any water) for 15 minutes, then pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar down. Watch the bubbles, hear the pops and fizz, and let it sit for another 15 minutes. Then, boiling water and voila!
Can you leave baking soda in the drain overnight? It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain.
Hot vinegar does a fantastic job of keeping your drains clean and smelling nice. To do this, you need to warm up some white vinegar and pour it down your drains. Adding a cup of baking soda can help you make it more effective. But, on its own, you can be confident it will do a great job.
The smell could be coming from something as simple as bacteria and gunk buildup. Think about everything that goes down you drains, including food, hair, and dirt.
Sometimes this can take as little as several hours, while other times it might take a drain not being used for several days. Regardless, the easiest way to fix this problem is to simply refill the P-trap. If the drain is a sink drain, run the water for about 10-15 seconds.
Leave it in the drain for an hour or two or overnight, and then flush the drain with hot tap water. For larger drains, such as tubs and kitchen sinks, use about a quarter-cup of baking soda, a half-cup of water to move the powder down, and 2 cups of vinegar.
Baking soda powder will turn into a cement like mass and completely clog everything it settles in. I had a family member dump about three cups down the kitchen sink this summer and I ended up having to replace the trap, tailpiece and dishwasher drain inflow.
There could be odor-causing bacteria feeding on debris in your pipes. This process will give off a foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide gas, which smells like sewage or rotten eggs. Also, mold grows where it's warm and wet — and mold growth on the debris causing a drain clog can also cause a bad smell.
The most likely cause of a sulfur smell or other bad smell coming from a drain is stuck food, and it's the easiest to fix. As food that gets clogged in a drain or disposal decomposes, it emits gasses that cause unpleasant odors.
What if The Baking Soda & Vinegar Hack Doesn't Work? If your drain doesn't unclog right away, repeat the baking soda & vinegar process another time or two. If you have a stubborn clog, sometimes the baking soda & vinegar trick just doesn't work. You may have to use a sink plunger to help push through the blockage.
In some cases, baking soda and vinegar can even cause damage to your pipes. Instead it's best to use other methods such as a plunger or drain snake, or removing your trap to empty out the probable blockage. You can also consider using a commercial drain cleaner that is specifically designed for tough clogs.
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.
You can also pour vinegar down the drain on its own.
Pour about 1 cup of vinegar down your drain and let it sit for 30-40 minutes.
Using a snake is also more invasive and time-consuming than using a chemical cleaner is, and can often become a dirty job. When it comes to getting at and removing major clogs or clogs that are deep down in your pipes, however, a plumber's snake is your best bet.
Vinegar is both safe and beneficial to pour down your drain. It acts as a natural cleaning solution and can remove blockages and harmful bacteria that cause foul odors.
If your drain is clogged with hair, baking soda can dissolve hair in a drain. To try this safe and easy method at home - first, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar (white vinegar) down. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes.
If your drain is clogged, clean it by pouring a pan of boiling water down the drain. Follow the water with 1 cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar. You'll probably see some bubbles as the chemical reaction works its magic and opens your drain.
What is this black gunk in my drain? The black gunk that accumulates in your drain is created by a build up of bacteria living on hair, hand soaps, shaving cream, skin cells, lotion, toothpaste, and phlegm.
Baking soda and vinegar
Start by pouring ¼ cup of baking soda down the drain, and then leave it for about 10 minutes. Then, follow it with one cup of vinegar. Let the mixture fizzle and work for a few minutes, and then finish by turning on the water and running the disposal to clear out any leftover food waste.
If you find a problem, call a plumber to fix the leak. Tiny food particles and other organic matter can also accumulate in your drain system and form a clog. These blockages slow or stop water flow in the drain, which causes bad smells.
If dry, the p-trap cannot perform its function correctly. To eliminate odors coming from a dry p-trap, pour half a gallon of water into the trap to restore the barrier.
As a disinfectant, bleach can eliminate the bacteria in drains and plumbing systems. You can give your bleach a better chance of clearing the smell by adding hot water. Pour hot or boiling water down the drain: Only use boiling water for drains without ceramic basins, such as some kitchen sinks.