How To Clean A Smelly Drain In 6 Easy Steps - Tunnel Vision

One of the worst odours you are likely to ever encounter at home is that of a smelly blocked drain. It’s unpleasant, overpowering and tends to stick around, often appearing in bathroom and kitchen sinks.

However, there’s no smoke without fire, and the only way to clean smelly drains is by attacking them at their source. Learn why smelly drains happen in the first place, how to prevent them and how to clean a drain within!

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What Are Common Causes of a Smelly Drain?

Smelly drains can be caused by many issues, from food buildup in your kitchen sink drain to hair and soap scum in your bathroom drain. Common causes include:

Trapped Gunk or Dirt

Smelly bathroom drains and kitchen sink drains primarily occur due to the accumulation of hair, food particles, soap particles, grease, and other types of gunk that attract bacteria, which then emit a foul smell.

Mould Growth

If you smell a musty odour, it’s highly likely that it’s coming from a mould source. Mould is naturally attracted to moisture, so it’s not uncommon to find them thriving in drains and releasing tiny puffs of gas that smell.

Dry or Empty P-Trap

If you’re unfamiliar with the p-trap, all you need to do is look under your kitchen or bathroom sink and find the curved section of the drainpipe. Its primary function is to capture water to form a plug against sewer gases that are coming back up the pipe. This is why a dry and empty sink that hasn’t been used in a while can start to smell.

Clogged Vent Pipes

Aside from the p-trap, venting pipes are also used to prevent sewer gas from entering households. Venting pipes get rid of back-flowing sewer gases and push these up to the rooftop. However, when these get clogged with other debris and it becomes an overflow hole, it can lead to water pooling in the sink which can result in stagnant odours. Clogs will also force the sewer gases back down and up through your drains.

Water Issues

If you detect rotten egg or any other stinky drain smells, it may be caused by the reaction produced when sulphate-reducing bacteria mix with the sulphates in a water heater.

Plumbing Problems

Structural problems such as water leaks, rotting drain pipes, aged pipes and missing traps or vents can all cause odours to seep from a kitchen sink drain.

Tree Roots

If a young tree is planted too close to your house, there’s a chance for tree roots to grow and penetrate your plumbing system. This can lead to blocked pipes and smelly drains.

Sewer Line Issues

If there is a break or block in the sewer line carrying wastewater away from your household out to the municipal sewer system, expect bad odours such as a sewer gas smell, as well as gurgling sounds and clogs in the drain.

Once you’ve identified the cause of the smell, you can start assembling your supplies to clean your smelly drain. Remember that the supplies remain the same, whether it’s a sewer smell, smelly bathroom drains or kitchen drain smells that you’re dealing with.

What You'll Need to Clean Smelly Drains

To get you started on your drain-smell-cleaning quest and become great drain cleaners, make sure you have the following materials:

• Rubber gloves
• Hot water
• White vinegar
• Baking soda
• Petroleum jelly
• Bucket
• Hose
• Plunger
• Wrench
• Drain plug
• Snake hose auger or metal hanger

With all of these items on hand, you’re now ready to tackle your smelly drain problem.

How to Clean Smelly Drains

As the checklist of supply shows, there are various materials you can use to get rid of any foul smell coming from your sink, toilet, or shower drains. Cleaning drains doesn’t need to be difficult and the best way to approach the problem is by beginning with the simplest solution. If it doesn’t work, move on to the next.

Check out the following steps:

1. Identify the Source

Is it a smelly kitchen sink drain or bathroom sink smell? How about the shower drain? Knowing the source of the foul smell will help you to refine your approach on how to get rid of smelly drains.

2. Hot Water or White 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 to solidify any remaining gunk, and then add the leftover hot water or vinegar to wash away the rest.

If you have PVC pipes be careful of pouring boiling water down the drain – it has the potential to cause pipe damage!

3. Plunge the Drain

You can try using your plunger to unclog your shower drain. But first, apply some petroleum jelly on the edge of the plunger as this will help provide a better seal. Position the plunger over the drain cover.

Fill the shower with hot water (or hot shower water) just enough to submerge the end of the plunger, and then start plunging vigorously until the clogged drain is no more.

4. Combine Baking Soda & Vinegar

Let the tap run for a few seconds and then turn it off. Pour a cup of baking soda into the drain, and follow it up with two cups of hot vinegar (near boiling point). Allow the mixture to fizz and leave for an hour. Pour hot tap water down the drain and see if the clog clears.

5. Use a Snake Hose Auger or Coat Hanger

You can try using a snake hose auger or drain snake, which comprises a flexible metal tube fitted into a plastic tube with an auger. Insert the auger into the clogged drain.

Hold the plastic tube tightly and, as you force the flexible tube into the drain, turn the handle on the other end of the flexible tube. This should clear out the clog. If this method works, make sure you sanitise the snake hose before putting it back in storage.

If you don’t have a drain snake, you can improvise using a metal wire coat hanger or any piece of wire. Create a hook at the other end of the wire and slowly slide it down the drain until you reach the clog. Gradually pull the wire out.

If this attempt is productive, you’ll usually find a clump of hair and gunk attached to the hook, so make sure to give your makeshift drain hook a good cleaning, as well as the bathroom.

6. Clean the P-Trap

Protect your hands with rubber gloves. Using a wrench, disconnect the curved section of the plumbing underneath the sink. Get rid of the gunk and water left in the trap and keep these in a bucket. Rinse out the p-trap outside using a garden hose.

Once the p-trap is clean, reattach it securely to the plumbing system, and then try using the sink.

If the problem is a clogged drain vent, remove any trapped debris. However, if you don’t have the proper safety gear, it’s best to seek a professional plumber. The same goes for sewer line problems which can only be resolved by plumbing experts.

How to Prevent Smelly Drains

You can avoid having to deal with the problem of how to clean smelly drains by preventing them from happening in the first place.

• Never pour fat, oil, or grease down the sink.
• Dispose of food scraps in the bin or compost.
• Pour boiling water into drains weekly.
• Use baking soda and vinegar monthly.
• Clean your garbage disposal regularly.
• Run water in unused drains to stop the p-trap drying out.

Get in Touch With Tunnel Vision - Perth's Blocked & Smelly Drain Specialists

Smelly drains are an unpleasant household problem that you can try resolving on your own.

Depending on the root cause, finding out what will work depends a lot on trying a few simple solutions.

However, when all else fails, make sure to call in the professionals. Tunnel Vision has the tools and the skills to clean any smelly drain system and clear any blocked drain quickly and with minimal inconvenience to you. Call us on 1800 631 799 or book online today!

Frequently Answered Questions

How quickly can a plumber come out to fix a smelly drain?

In most cases, our Perth plumbers can respond the same day, especially for urgent blocked drain or sewer smell issues. Call us to check current availability for our professional drain cleaning service.

Can Tunnel Vision inspect my drains with a camera to find the exact cause?

Yes. We use CCTV drain cameras to locate blockages, identify damage, and find the source of bad smells without unnecessary digging.

Can smelly drains be a sign of a serious sewer line issue?

Yes. Persistent drain smells, especially if combined with slow drainage or gurgling noises, can indicate sewer line problems that require professional inspection.

Can you prevent smelly drains if you’re on a septic system?

Yes. Regular septic tank maintenance, avoiding grease and harsh chemicals, and keeping p-traps full of water can all help.

How to get rid of smelly drains in bathroom?

As mentioned in our blog, flush your bathroom drain with hot water or a baking soda and vinegar mix, clear any clogs, and keep the p-trap full. If the smells persist, call one of our expert plumbers for a proper clean.

How to fix smelly drains?

Similar to above, flush the drain with hot water or a baking soda and vinegar mix, remove any clogs, and clean the p-trap. If the odour remains, get in contact with the Tunnel Vision team and we’ll arrange one of our professional plumbers to come and resolve your issue.