How To Get Rid Of Smelly Indoor Drains
If you have a smelly drain in a bathroom or kitchen it could be an early sign that immediate action be taken to clean out the drain to prevent future blockage and also get rid of the smell at the same time.
06/02/2024
Smelly drains are not something you want in your home and it is also an indication that there is a hidden problem in at least one area of the house. But before you rush to call in a plumber and incur expensive call-out costs, there are a few quick and easy solutions for smelly drains that you might want to try first.
Smelly Shower Drain
A smell emanating from a bathroom shower drain is usually picked up fairly quickly and the offensive smell can be dealt with in a short amount of time. It only takes something small to start a blockage in a shower drain and it can be caused by soap scum or hair and possibly a combination of both. Once a small blockage forms it doesn't take long for an accumulation to build up in the drain and this is when action becomes necessary. You do not need to be a plumber to fix a smelly drain and any home DIYer can attend to the problem. If, after attempting to sort out the problem you realise that nothing has changed, then it is time to call out a plumber.
- Remove the cap from the drain. This could be a screw-on or push-on lid so be sure to have assorted screwdrivers on hand to make the task easier.
- Use a drain auger or drain snake or make your own using a steel coat hanger straightened out with a small hooked shape on the end. Insert this into the drain as far as you can and then twist it around to try and hook into whatever may be causing the blockage. Pull out and repeat this until you cannot feel any further blockage in the drain pipe.
- Flush with clean water to remove any remaining debris in the drain pipe.
Smelly Bathroom Basin Drain
Bathroom drains are different from shower drains in that they have a waste trap fitting underneath the sink. In South Africa, this waste trap is more commonly known as a P-trap or U-trap depending on its shape. These waste traps are specifically designed to allow the flow of water down the drain but also keep behind a level of water that prevents bad smells from coming up the drain from the sewer system. When the waste traps become blocked and no longer filled with water, this allows the smell into the room and it is why you need to clean this out.
Another factor to take into consideration and one that can affect the health of a family is that of bacteria build-up. Bacteria such as biofilm can form in bathroom drains and are caused by a collection of bacteria that stick to the inside of pipes. Bathroom drains be given a regular cleaning to prevent this.
Flush Bathroom Basin Drains
- Regularly clean drains with white spirit vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. I like to keep my used facial wipes for when cleaning drains. Cover the drain hole with a single layer of a wipe, add a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda and pour a cup of vinegar over the top. Flush clean water down the drain.
- This method not only assists in preventing biofilm and other bacterial build-up but also helps to keep the drain clean when done regularly.
Clean Blocked Bathroom Drains
Safety first: Do wear disposable or rubber gloves when dealing with waste traps.
- Regardless of the type of waste trap you have under the sink, this can be unfastened using a plumber's wrench. Make sure that the basin holds no water, or have a bucket handy to catch wastewater and then loosen the fittings holding the waste trap in place.
- Remove the trap and take outdoors to flush with a hosepipe or under an outside tap until clean. Use a rag - one that can be thrown away afterwards - to wipe the pipe clean.
- Replace the waste trap and flush the drain with white spirit vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
GOOD TO KNOW
A plunger is handy to have at home and you can use this to loosen debris that is blocking the drain so that the water in a sink or basin can flow away.
Smelly Kitchen Sink Drain
Kitchen sinks have to deal with a lot of household waste and fluids and are prone to blockage if oils or food waste enter the drain. Oils and fats cool and congeal when they hit the water in the waste trap and if food waste is disposed of down the drain, this sticks together to create a mass that eventually builds up and blocks the drain.
GOOD TO KNOW
A regular flush with white spirit vinegar and bicarbonate of soda will prevent oil and fat-based blockages, keep pipes clean and prevent any build-up of bacteria or harmful micro-organisms. See instructions above in Flush Bathroom Drains for "how to".
- Regardless of the type of waste trap you have under the sink, this can be unfastened using a plumber's wrench. Make sure that the basin holds no water, or have a bucket handy to catch wastewater and then loosen the fittings holding the waste trap in place.
- Remove the trap and take outdoors to flush with a hosepipe or under an outside tap until clean. Use a rag - one that can be thrown away afterwards - to wipe the pipe clean.
- Replace the waste trap and flush the drain with white spirit vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
If any of the above does not solve the problem, you should consult with a reputable plumber or blocked drain contractor to fix any problem further along the drainage system although, even if this is the case, there are a few things that a DIY homeowner can do themselves.