How to remove odor from kitchen sinks using traditional methods
You can also remove the smell from the kitchen sink with folk remedies. This is especially true if the pipes in the kitchen at the summer cottage are clogged, from where it can be about an hour's drive to the nearest household chemicals store.
Eliminate odor with baking soda and vinegar
Minor blockages can be removed with a bite and baking mixture. The cleaning procedure is carried out as follows:
- Pour ½ pack of baking soda into the sink drain in the kitchen.
- Then 1 tbsp is poured into the sink. vinegar and plug the drain tightly with a rag. This must be done because soda, reacting with vinegar, begins to actively form air bubbles. It is they who break down grease and dirt particles, washing them off the inner surface of the pipes.
- After 20-30 minutes after draining, the sinks are opened and water is turned on. After another 2-3 minutes, all the dirt and soda will be washed off.
Important! In order to effectively eliminate the smell in the kitchen from the sink, it is necessary to rinse off the vinegar and soda with hot water.
If there is no baking soda in the house, vinegar alone can be used, however, it must be preheated in the microwave beforehand. Only then is the liquid poured into the sink. If desired, you can dilute vinegar with 2-3 drops of essential oil - this way you can not only eliminate the unpleasant odor, but also replace it with a delicate aroma.
Eliminate odor with table salt
Edible salt is able to remove odors from the kitchen sink without being combined with another substance or liquid. The procedure is somewhat different from the previous method:
- Salt is poured into the sink drain.
- After 20-30 minutes, hot water is drained into the sink.
- Then salt is poured into the drain again. After half an hour, the pipe is rinsed again.
Usually, in order to clear the blockage and remove the smell from the sink, 2-3 washes are enough, rarely more. If even this does not help to eliminate the sewer odor, you can use a mixture of baking soda or washing soda and salt. This combination is also great for preventing blockages in the kitchen.
The procedure for cleaning the sink is the same as described. Soda and salt, in order to eliminate the smell from the sink, are combined in equal proportions.
Eliminate odor with citric acid
Citric acid is another easy way to eliminate sewer odor from your sink if you don't have a pipe cleaner on hand. They clean the blockage like this:
- One pack of citric acid is poured into the sink drain and wait a while.
- After 10-15 minutes, pour boiling water over the sink. The combination of hot water and citric acid causes a chemical reaction with intense gassing. Numerous air bubbles effectively break up the dirt layer and remove blockages.
- After a while, water is drained into the sink again in order to wash off the remaining citric acid.
Eliminate odor with dry mustard
Many housewives claim that dry mustard can also be used to remove odors from the kitchen sink, however, this method is used with great care. The fact is that mustard powder is not recommended for use in case of clogged plastic pipes.
If the pipes in the house are metal, then you can resort to the following sink cleaning scheme:
- 3-4 tbsp are poured into the sink drain. l. mustard powder.
- After half an hour, hot water is drained into the sink.
- After a while, the drain is washed a second time to remove the mustard residues and finally eliminate the unpleasant odor from the sink.
Methods for removing odor from the sewer
Each owner is a little his own plumber. And, as a rule, before contacting specialists, he tries to fix the damage on his own. Often such attempts bring the desired result.
Mechanical cleaning methods
- Before starting cleaning procedures, it is necessary to inspect the internal water supply and sewerage system for the correct installation of the siphon and the reliability of the abutment of all connections. If leaks are found in the joints, seal them with special sealants.If the corrugated siphon has changed shape or stretched, then it is necessary to give it the desired position and firmly fix it with tape or suitable fasteners.
- First, we try to eliminate the clogging of the siphon with a plunger - this is the simplest device that creates a vacuum. It helps in uncomplicated situations.
- If your siphon is designed with a sediment collection flask, then the next step is to disassemble the device, remove debris, flush and reassemble.
In especially difficult cases, when the blockage did not occur in the drain from the sink, but in the pipe leading to the sewer riser, a cardinal method is used. Cleaning is carried out with a special cable. You can buy this plumbing fixture at a hardware store. It is a tightly wound spiral spring of various lengths and diameters. On the one hand, the cable is equipped with a handle, on the other - with a tip.
It is better to clean it not through the drain hole of the sink, but through the outlet pipe of the siphon
To do this, gently rotate the cable into the tube and gradually move it forward. The task is to remove all debris from the drain channel
Chemical methods
Ready-made preparations for cleaning and removing odors from the sewer in the kitchen are of two types:
- On the basis of acids, they dissolve well soap and lime sediment, hair.
- Alkaline formulations help to cope with body fat.
Prefabricated preparations should not be abused so as not to harm the inner surface of the pipes. You can use such funds no more than once every 14-20 days.
And then with small blockages, avoiding overflow of liquid and being careful, protecting the eyes and hands. If the pipe is clogged thoroughly, then it is better to first clean it with a cable, and then rinse it with a solution with a special composition
Home remedies
You can also get rid of the smell from the sink with the help of tools that are always at hand in every kitchen. In a difficult situation, they are unlikely to help, but you can easily eliminate small fat plugs. Hot solutions are used for cleaning:
- table salt;
- baking soda or soda ash;
- citric acid;
- vinegar.
A combination of vinegar or lemon with baking soda gives an excellent effect. We pour about half a glass of soda into the drain hole of the sink, pour a glass of vinegar there. The hole must be sealed tightly. After an hour, open the drain and rinse it with very hot water.
Elimination of odor from clogged riser
All of the above methods are good for eliminating problems that have arisen inside the apartment. But a bad smell from your sink can come from a blockage in a vertical sewer outside your premises. And that's why. In working order, the exhaust of gases from the system is provided by a funky device that ends with risers on the roof or attic of a multi-storey building. The principle of operation is that when a vacuum appears inside the pipe, fresh air is sucked in from the outside. This saves the siphons from drying out, which means that unpleasant odors will not penetrate the room.
Utility workers are obliged to clean the risers, but, unfortunately, they do not always do it in a timely manner. To protect your own home from bad odors, you can make a simple device yourself and install it in the sewer system inside the apartment:
- we release the usual odor trap for the sink from the drain (it is not needed at all) and remove the flask;
- align the edge of the inner tube, if necessary;
- we apply waterproof glue to it, a little exposure;
- tightly glue the breathing valve from the gas mask;
- we return the flask to its place and connect the branch pipe.
The homemade vacuum valve is ready. It remains to install it in the farthest (from the riser) end of the internal sewer network.
When a vacuum forms inside the system, the valve will open and add air to the pipe, thereby saving the working siphons from drying out. More details about this device are described in the following video:
Causes of Sink Odor
The main reason why an unpleasant odor appears in the kitchen is sewage problems. The main function of the wash is to remove various types of dirt. The drain installed under the sink is directed to the sewer pipes.
The reasons for the malfunction of the sewer system may be the following:
- clogged siphon. The siphon is a small, curved section of the drain pipe. Its role in maintaining the water level inside the bend, as well as the separation of the air environment in the room and the sewer pipe. Over time, oily deposits can form inside the pipe or siphon due to poor maintenance. Small particles of food waste adhere to it;
- airing the sewer riser. This malfunction is indicated by the characteristic gurgling sound inside the sink. In this case, only an employee of the housing office can fix the problem, because this is a malfunction of the main system;
- mechanical damage to the drain pipe;
- contamination of the inner surface of the pipes by means of fats, food debris;
- deformation of the corrugated pipe. Over time, the corrugation has the ability to stretch, sag. Such situations happen even with proper installation. Due to the stretching of the corrugation, the water is unable to retain and is drained directly into the sewer. In addition, it can come back;
- violation of the seal between such parts of the sewer as a riser and a drain. This is a flaw of the sewerage system installers. Quite often they do not bother with sealing and simply insert the corrugated pipe into the riser hole;
- evaporation of moisture from the water seal due to the non-use of the sink, the location of the heating pipes under the valve. If the sink is rarely used, water evaporates from the water seal that forms in the bend of the siphon and prevents the spread of the sewer odor;
- installation flaws (workers may incorrectly select the diameter of the pipe section).
Types of siphons of different types and how they work
In addition to the main reasons for the appearance of a stench from the sink, you need to take into account the more rare provocateurs of an unpleasant smell in the kitchen:
- severe wear, cracking of plastic pipelines;
- malfunction of the siphon;
- improper design of the drain system at the bottom of the sink;
- holes in metal sewer pipes.
Not very fast, but the right way out
A specially trained plumber will help eliminate the smell from the kitchen sink. He will check the pipes for serviceability, and clean the siphon, and perform many more necessary manipulations that you cannot do on your own. But bad luck - the time from calling a plumber on the phone to his appearance in your kitchen is a loose concept. These specialists are always in demand, they have a lot of work, so it is not a fact that salvation will arrive quickly. And in the kitchen it still stinks, I don't want to not only cook food there, but even appear in general. This means that you will have to use folk remedies in the fight against the unpleasant smell from the sink.
In order to remove the stench from the sink yourself, start by diagnosing the reasons for its appearance:
- Carefully inspect the pipes under the sink for leaks and other damage.
- Examine the siphon - it should be level, not tilted. The branch pipe should be lowered inward, but not touching the bottom.
If damage to corrugated or metal pipes is detected, you cannot cope with the problem on your own. They require replacement, and only a professional can do this. But you can completely clean the siphon yourself. We will tell you how and what to do.
We clean the kitchen sink
First, we will try to get by with "little blood".To do this, turn on hot water, let it flow freely into the drain for a few minutes. If the cause of the unpleasant "odor" is the accumulation of fat on the inner walls of the drain system, hot water will eliminate them. It is known that fat does not tolerate high temperatures and dissolves.
If, after hot washing, the smell does not disappear, try to get rid of the "aroma" of the sewer as follows:
- Pour soda into the drain, preferably dry. You need 75 - 100 grams, three to four tablespoons.
- Then pour ordinary table vinegar into the drain. The baking soda and vinegar will react and the resulting sizzling mixture will clean the inside of the drain. To prevent the odor of the reagent you have prepared from mixing with the unpleasant odor, close the drain hole with a thick cloth. Minutes for 20 - 25. Then turn on hot water for a few minutes and ventilate the kitchen.
You can use not dry soda, but diluted in water. To do this, it is dissolved in a liter of hot water in the amount of 3 tablespoons. Variations of the method are the separate use of the soda solution, and the separate use of the vinegar rinse. You can remove unpleasant odors from the kitchen sink using any option. But the method with a sizzling mixture appeals to us more, because it has been tested many times.
We clean the siphon
If water does not drain well in the kitchen sink, it is likely that the siphon is clogged. To eliminate the stagnation and stench of the sewer in the sink, it needs to be cleaned. Proceed from simple to complex:
- Use a plunger. Clearing the drain with a plunger helps with small blockages, the water begins to drain normally. After working with the plunger, pour a hot soda solution over the drain.
- Disassemble the siphon. It unwinds easily, you can remove it and rinse it thoroughly under hot water with the addition of detergents. If the reason for the smell was in the siphon blockage, the stench will disappear after assembly.
If you are not confident in your skills, it is better not to try to spin the siphon yourself. Putting it back correctly may not work, so it is better to wait for the plumber.
Preventing sink odors
In order not to subsequently look for ways to eliminate odor or clean pipes, try to avoid stagnation and blockages in drainage systems. You can keep the drain and pipes clean by applying the following tips in practice:
Perform routine maintenance cleaning of the pipes. With the help of improvised means once every 1-2 weeks, and with the help of household chemicals at least 1 time per month.
Do not throw food leftovers or small debris into the sink, otherwise they will eventually get stuck in the siphon or settle on the walls of the pipes.
To prevent smaller debris from entering the drain, place a special mesh in the sink.
If you are leaving the apartment for a long time, pour some vegetable oil into the siphon's odor trap to prevent the water from evaporating.
Check the drainage system regularly for damage and leaks.
When replacing or repairing the sewerage system, pay utmost attention to the quality of the installation. Do not trust the work to unverified masters.
When buying new drainage equipment, choose the highest quality product
It is better to choose a barrel-shaped siphon for your home, which allows you to disassemble it without much effort in case of blockage.
The most common reasons for the appearance of an unpleasant sewer odor from the sink are blockages and contamination of the inner surface of the pipes. Using mechanical or dry cleaning will help solve the problem. If odors are still not eliminated, I recommend looking for the cause of their appearance, which most often lies in a leak or a breakdown in the drain system.
Use of chemicals
The easiest way to remove a blockage in a kitchen sink is to use special chemicals. For this you do not need to have special knowledge and skills of a plumber.You don't have to disassemble the drain system either. All you need to do is purchase the necessary chemicals and hand protection from the hardware store. Wearing gloves, empty the contents of the bag or liquid reagent into the sink.
After the time specified in the instructions for use, flush the system with plenty of running water. In most cases, with light blockages, such a tool does an excellent job with the task. The following products have a good effect:
- Mole.
- Odorgon.
- Rowdy.
- Domestos.
In some cases, if the blockage is not too strong, the "Whiteness" solution is sufficient. Use factory reagents according to the attached instructions. Since almost all of these products are highly toxic, it is necessary to protect yourself with gloves and a mask. The cost of such drugs may depend on their chemical effectiveness.
How to remove odor in the kitchen sink using household chemicals
There are several ways to eliminate sewer odor coming from the sink. How exactly depends on what caused the unpleasant odor in the kitchen. If it is caused by the accumulation of grease and dirt on the pipes, which led to a blockage, then the problem is most often solved by flushing the pipes. To do this, use special chemicals that can be purchased at any household chemicals store.
Some of the most reliable cleaning agents include the following brands:
- "Mole". This is a decades-old pipe cleaner from a domestic manufacturer. In a number of CIS countries "Krot" has been the sales leader for many years. This is explained by the fact that it not only effectively dissolves fat, food debris, hair and other debris that gets into the pipes, but is also quite inexpensive. Besides, "Krot" is sold in different forms: liquid and granular. As a liquid, the cleaner is less aggressive and can therefore be used to clean plastic pipes.
- "Flop". It is one of the most powerful granular kitchen odor removers available. It is poured into the drain hole of the sink and filled with water. The purifier will handle mash at any temperature, however, the hotter the water, the faster it will.
- "Tiret". The good thing about the cleaner is that it is suitable for any type of pipe. It effectively corrodes dirt and grease, but does not damage the pipe coating. Moreover, it is so safe that it can be poured into the pipe overnight if necessary. However, this is not often required - the average cleaning time is 15-30 minutes, sometimes "Tiret" copes with the blockage in 3-5 minutes.
- "Mister Muscle". One of the most popular cleaning agents and is suitable for minor blockages and preventive treatments. The advantages of the cleaner include a variety of release forms: foam, gel, powder. According to customer reviews, the best way to eliminate the unpleasant smell from the sink is foam.
Important! Regardless of how safe the pipe cleaner is, it is recommended that all work to remove odor from the sewer be carried out with special gloves. Means of a thick consistency, as a rule, are more aggressive, but they quickly cope with blockages .. Separately, it is worth noting a pipe cleaner called "Pothan"
While this cleaning agent is very effective, it is not as popular as the other cleaners on the list. The reason for this is the rather aggressive components that make up it. Pothan can be hazardous to health if handled incorrectly. For safety reasons, only use rubber gloves to pour the product into the sink. It is also advisable to protect the eyes and skin. "Potkhan", when it gets on the human body, quickly causes chemical burns. On the other hand, this cleaner removes blockages in just 2-3 minutes.
Separately, it is worth noting a pipe cleaner called "Potkhan". While this cleaning agent is very effective, it is not as popular as the other cleaners on the list. The reason for this is the rather aggressive components that make up it. Pothan can be hazardous to health if handled incorrectly. For safety reasons, only use rubber gloves to pour the product into the sink. It is also advisable to protect the eyes and skin. "Potkhan", when it gets on the human body, quickly causes chemical burns. On the other hand, this cleaner removes blockages in just 2-3 minutes.
How to remove odor from a sink using mechanical methods
If a blockage is causing the sewer stench, use any of the mechanical methods to clean the drain before using the odor remover.
Ventuz
This cleaning method is the most affordable and simple. Usually a plunger copes with the task of cleaning the first or second time.
Mode of application:
- Place the plunger in the sink.
- Press the rubber pad firmly against the drain hole so that it completely covers it.
- Pour some hot water into the sink.
- Grasp the plunger handle, alternately press and release forces several times in a row.
- After the last press, quickly remove the plunger from the sink.
- Repeat the procedure if necessary.
After all manipulations, flush the drain with plenty of hot water.
Metal rope
If debris has accumulated far from the drain, the plunger will not have the strength to clear the pipe. In this case, use a steel plumbing cable. There is usually a hook or brush at the end of the attachment to help clear the blockage.
Scheme of actions:
Remove the siphon elbow.
Guide the end of the cable into the hole and carefully push into the pipe.
When you feel that the cable hits the plug, try to push it even deeper by pushing or rotating in different directions.
Remove the cable from time to time, the hook may catch part of the blockage.
If the cable moves easily, then the debris has been removed.
After the procedure, return the knee to its place and rinse the drain with hot water.
Country hose
A well-known method of removing blockages using hydrodynamics among plumbers, you can do it at home without using expensive equipment. For the procedure, you will need an ordinary thin hose, a nail and a soldering iron.
Fixture manufacturing scheme:
- Cut a piece of hose to the required length.
- Solder one end of it so that it does not leak liquid.
- At a distance of about 10 cm from the sealed end, make several holes with a hot nail in a circle.
- The product is ready.
Instructions for use:
- Push the blind end of the hose into the clogged pipe.
- Secure the open end to the tap.
- Turn on high-pressure water.
- In the process, water will be pressurized out of the side vents, washing away accumulated impurities.
- Then remove the hose from the pipe and flush the drain with hot water.
The procedure will help get rid of plaque and food debris.
Disassembly of the plumbing unit
If there is a smell, but no blockages were found, check the pipes. Perhaps the stench from the sewer comes to you due to contamination of the riser or plumbing unit. This is possible if the pipes are damaged or connected incorrectly. First, inspect all pipes for damage. Then disassemble the plumbing unit and reassemble it, carefully sealing the joints.
Basic methods of disposal
The solution to the problem will depend on the provoking factor. If the cause is established correctly, then it will not be difficult to eliminate the unpleasant odor.
Drying a humid environment
When buying an air conditioner, it is recommended to pay attention to the models that provide the function of delayed turning off the fan after the device has already been turned off. In this way, the evaporator is dehumidified and a humid environment and unpleasant odors are prevented.
If the air conditioner does not have such a function, then this procedure can be done independently. It is necessary to manually turn on the ventilation for 3-5 minutes and only then turn off the device. In case of improper installation, it will be possible to get rid of odor and moisture only by reinstalling the system.
Treatment
It is recommended to clean the air conditioner regularly so that no dirt accumulates inside the unit.
Particular attention is paid to hard-to-reach places - the evaporator, since fungi and bacteria most often accumulate there
Specialists clean these areas with gas and foam. The method is not as effective as manual cleaning, but it helps to cope with unpleasant odors. The most common treatments are gas, foam, liquid antiseptic, and hand wash.
Gas
In order for disinfection with this type of antiseptic to give the proper result, preliminary preparation is required:
- inclusion of air circulation;
- an antiseptic cylinder is activated near the air intake hole, and the room is closed for 10-15 minutes;
- airing the room.
This method is considered the simplest and least effective, so it is worthwhile to understand that after a while the device has been operating, the smell will reappear.
Foamy
In this case, a balloon filled with foam is used, which must be released inside the device onto the ventilation and air conditioning elements. Then the air conditioner turns on, from the heating of which the foam expands and penetrates into hard-to-reach places. It will settle within 15-20 minutes.
This processing method is considered to be more efficient than the previous one. The agent penetrates into the device, thereby killing pathogens. But there are times when this method does not give the desired result.
Liquid
Special agents are used to treat the air conditioner with liquid antiseptics. Do not use household chemicals, as they can damage the device. Special solutions help fight fungi and bacteria, do not harm the elements of the device.
The treatment is carried out with a spray gun, attention is paid to the duct channels and the air conditioning system. Vapors of the agent are sucked in through the air intake when the device is turned on
The solution will be ineffective if you do not first clean the inside of the air conditioner.
Manual flushing
This method is considered to be the most effective in combating unpleasant odors. Complete disassembly and cleaning of the system is carried out. This will require professional help. The process will take a lot of time, but the guarantee of achieving the result will be 100%.
Installation of antibacterial filters
A universal solution to the problem is the installation of antibacterial filters. They help fight bad odors and pathogens.
Photocatalytic
A filter of this type is considered absolutely safe for humans. It absorbs any organic odors. It is based on titanium dioxide.
Plasma ionizer
The filter is represented by a structure of metal plates, the voltage between them is several thousand volts. A big plus - does not require periodic replacement of internal filters.
Catechin
The filters contain a natural antiseptic - catechin, which prevents viruses from adhering to the surface, as it envelops them. It is considered safe and effective.
Wasabi
The filter uses plant materials that disinfect the air and help to cope with pathogenic microorganisms.