How to Clean a Stinky Drain

There are many reasons for a stinking drain, these could be as a result of gunk and bacteria, caused by the accumulation of soap particles in the pipelines that attract bacteria activities, or Clogged vent pipes caused by debris that clog drain vents causing water to pool inside the sink and cause odor due to stagnancy of the water.

Sometimes sewer gases can also cause bad odor, these are caused by empty P-traps that allow gases to come up from the drain especially in sinks that are not frequently used. Sometimes plumbing errors can also cause these stinky drains. Plumbing errors such as missing vents, missing traps, and rotten drain tubes can trigger offensive odors from the sink. Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Youngstown if you suspect any of these problems and request drain cleaning.

What do you need to clean a stinky drain?

You need to ensure that you have all necessary tools and supplies to clean your stinky drain before you embark on any procedure. The tools and supplies you need include; baking soda, rubber gloves, white vinegar or nearly boiling water, wrench, ladder, hose, bucket.

Steps to cleaning a stinky drain

The first step is to pour the boiling water or vinegar down the drain. Pour half of the boiling water slowly down the drain, and wait for a few minutes before rinsing the drain with cold water in order to solidify any leftover gunk. Pour the rest of boiling water or vinegar to the drain again to clear out the leftover gunks in the sink.

Alternatively, you may want to pour vinegar with baking soda (ration 1:2) inside the sink but you need to run tap water through the drain first for 10 seconds, then turn off the water before dumping a cup of baking soda through the drain followed by 2 cups of warm or hot vinegar. Allow the mix to fuzz for 60 minutes before flushing the drain with hot water from the tap.