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How to eliminate odors from your drains

No matter how careful you are, something will eventually slip into your drain, causing it to smell bad. Food, hair, or grease can release a stench if stuck in your plumbing system for so long. You can start to sense a foul smell after one to two weeks. Luckily, you can utilize these tips to get rid of the odors. Here’s how to eliminate odors from your drains entirely.

How to eliminate odors from your drains - Intro

What are the reasons behind my stinking drains?

Some might wonder about the causes behind their badly-smell drains. These things are fair common and easy to recognize.

Bacteria

Anything getting stuck in your plumbing system can be a perfect environment for bacteria to grow. They release a foul smell after digesting the junk.

Reasons behind your smelly drains - Bacteria

You’ll notice the smell circling the sink or tub as the usual sign. In other cases, the smell can spread to several rooms, causing discomfort.

Errors in the system

Odors from your drains can result from an error during the installation process. Perhaps some key parts of the system weren’t installed as intended, thus making the entire setup dysfunctional, leading up to the smell.

Gases

Right below your plumbing system is usually the sewer. Sometimes, gases pass through the sewer and flow upward into your drains.

Reasons behind your smelly drains - Sewer Gas

You normally won’t notice any smell from the gases due to the drain traps (or P-Trap and S-Trap). It’s the U-shaped section of the pipe that you usually see below your sink. When there’s no water in the drain trap, the gases pass through and move up to your sink. That’s why you can sense the odor.

Your drain is clogged

Reasons behind your smelly drains - Clogged drains

Objects getting stuck inside your drain for too long can cause it to smell bad. Since the clog is hidden, you can’t see it from the outside. The only signs are slow to drain and awful odors.

Mold

Reasons behind your smelly drains - Mold

Molds are usually formed in moist spaces between pipes. They can also release an uncomfortable smell if they’re left unchecked. Water leaks or dripping faucets are perfect places for molds to develop and grow. You can check out how to replace dripping or faulty faucets here.

How to eliminate odors from your drains

Figuring out which of the mentioned factor makes your drain smell, you can use these countermeasures to get rid of the foul smell.

Using boiling water

Bacteria built up inside your drain can be killed and washed away by boiling water. You can do this 2 to 4 times per month to keep your drains clean and functional.

How to eliminate odors from your drains - boiling water

A quick reminder: After using hot water but the smell is still there, please make a call to us to check your drain out.

Utilize baking soda

You can either use baking soda with hot water or vinegar to pour down your drain. It will help clean your pipes and eliminate nasty odors.

How to eliminate odors from your drains - baking soda
Source: The Spruce

However, with vinegar, it’s better to add it after you’ve poured baking soda down the drain since the mixture of the two is bubbly.

Modify the trap water level

How to eliminate odors from your drains - Modify P-Trap and S-Trap Level

The S-Trap and P-Trap require water in them all the time. Every 3 to 4 months you need to add more water in. To do this, pour 3 to 4 cups of water down the drain, then add half a cup of oil. This will prevent the water from evaporating too fast.

The draining snake

A draining snake is extremely useful in removing the objects causing the clogs in your drains. When the clog behind the foul smell is taken out, the smell goes away with it.

How to eliminate odors from your drains - Using a drainage snake

Please be mindful that the tip of the snake can cause serious problems to your drainage system if you don’t tread lightly. The cost of repairing the damage caused by the draining snake can be expensive.

Hire a professional

If none of the solutions above seem to work, it’s time for you to call a plumber to help you with your problems. They have the right methods to spot the culprit behind your smelly drain and fix it in a short time. If you’re in San Jose, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be right over to support you.

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