How you use your kitchen sink each day is a big part of your life. It’s the core of your kitchen, where you wash, scrub, and prepare food. However, it often becomes a dumping ground for waste, resulting in unexpected problems.
Grease, leftover food, and other organic matter build up in your drain, making the perfect environment for bacteria to flourish. Not only do you have clotted pipes, but the buildup produces unpleasant odors. Here’s how to get rid of the sink smell and maintain a fresh and hygienic kitchen.
How To Clean Smelly Sink Drain: 13 Ways
If your kitchen sink is smelling bad your best bet is to try and get rid of the stench yourself. Depending on your preference and supplies, we’ve got you covered with these solutions, both natural remedy and extreme cleanup.
Each method targets the root causes of sink odors, such as bacteria or food residue. Some offer quick fixes, while others provide long-term odor prevention. Feel free to experiment with different approaches to find what works best for your sink.
1. Hot water and dish soap
Kitchen sinks smell often originate from food debris and bacteria lurking in your garbage disposal. A simple yet effective first step to combat these smells is using hot water and dish soap. Here's how to get rid of smelly sink:
Pour a plentiful squirt of dish soap into your sink and fill it with hot water.
When it’s ready, turn on your garbage disposal, and remove the stopper.
The soapy water will rush through, giving your disposal a thorough cleanse.
This method works better than just running the tap because it completely fills the disposal chamber with cleaning solution.
It's a quick and easy way to freshen up your sink, and it might just solve the problem right away!
2. Ice cubes, coarse salt, and lemon peels
To deep clean your garbage disposal and eliminate persistent odors, try this powerful combination. This works great for dislodging pieces of food that have gotten stuck between the blades, the ice helps to do this, and the salt works as an abrasive to scrub the sides.
Lemon peels also make a natural deodorizer that will keep your disposal smelling clean and fresh.
Drop a handful of ice cubes into the disposal.
Add a generous amount of coarse salt (like kosher salt).
Run the disposal until the ice is crushed.
Then flush with cold water.
Repeat the ice and salt process if needed.
Grind up a few lemon peels for extra freshness.
3. Vinegar and lemon ice cubes
Try this cleaning shortcut method to get rid of a smelly kitchen sink drain. This clever cleaning hack using lemon-vinegar ice cubes gives those smelly sinks a thorough clean.
Slice a lemon into small wedges and place them in muffin cups.
Pour white vinegar over the lemon pieces and freeze overnight.
Once solid, pop these powerful cleaning cubes into your disposal.
Turn on a gentle stream of water, flip the switch, and let the cubes work their magic.
As they crush, they release a potent mix of acidic vinegar and fresh lemon oil, cutting through grime and leaving your disposal sparkling clean and smelling great.
4. Pour boiling water
Boiling water can be a simple yet effective solution for eliminating mild drain odors and keeping your pipes clean. Here's how to make the most of this easy technique:
Use leftover boiling water from cooking or making tea.
Pour it directly down the sink while still hot.
Repeat this process regularly for best results.
Consider using this method after each use of a French press.
For stubborn smells, combine this technique with other cleaning methods.
Always finish your drain cleaning routine with a hot water flush.
5. Hot vinegar
Hot vinegar proves to be a versatile cleaning agent, tackling both your coffee maker and drain odors in one go. Here's how to make the most of this economical and effective solution:
Clean your coffee maker with hot vinegar as usual.
Don't discard the used vinegar after cleaning.
Stream the hot vinegar down your drain.
Add a cup of baking soda to the drain for extra cleaning power.
Let the mixture work its magic in your pipes.
Flush with hot water to rinse and freshen your drain.
6. Pour baking soda
The benefits of baking soda are endless and it is also a robust and natural deodorizer that can successfully eradicate unpleasant stenches from your drains. Here's a simple approach to keep your sinks fresh:
Measure out one spoonful of baking soda. This small amount is often enough to tackle mild odors.
Sprinkle the baking soda directly into the drain. The fine powder will easily flow into the pipes where odors originate.
Run water down the drain. This helps distribute the baking soda throughout the pipes and activates its deodorizing properties.
Repeat this process weekly for best results. Regular application helps prevent odor buildup and maintains freshness.
7. Borax, ice cubes, and lemon
This powerful blend works to kill stubborn drain odors. Using the power of borax for cleaning, the cooling effect of ice, and the fresh smell of lemon, this method helps banish pushy odor from drains. Here's how to use this method:
Measure out three spoonful of borax into a small bowl.
Carefully pour the borax down the drain, assuring it goes directly into the pipe.
Add two to three cups of ice cubes to the drain, streaming them on top of the borax.
Take a fresh lemon and cut it in half using a sharp cutter.
Squeeze the lemon half stiffly, enabling its juice to flow directly into the drain.
Leave the blend of borax, ice, and lemon juice to sit in the drain for a few minutes.
Finally, run hot water down the drain to flush everything away and enjoy the fresh scent.
8. Sodium borate
Borax, though not quite as famous as baking soda, works just as well to eliminate smells and clean the drains. It is suitable for basins of the bathroom as well as sinks in the kitchen. Here's how to use it:
Take your container of borax out from the cleaning supplies.
Prepare three to four tablespoons of borax.
Slowly let the measured borax go directly to the stinking drain.
Then just open the faucet to let plain water with normal temperature flow through the pipe and down the drain.
Allow the water to stream for about 30 seconds to a minute.
The borax will dissolve and work its way through the pipes, cleaning as it goes.
Do this once a week or more often if the drains stink to keep them smelling nice and fresh.
9. Vinegar, baking soda, and hot water
This popular and effective method combines readily available household items to deep clean your drains. It effectively tidies mold growth and food debris from your pipes.
The hot water helps kill more bacteria than room-temperature water, affirming a longer-lasting fresh odor. Here's how to get rid of smell in sink drain:
Pour one cup of baking soda promptly down the smelly drain.
Add two cups of vinegar to drain slowly, over the baking soda.
You’ll see the mixture bubble, fizz, and pop.
Leave the bubbling mixture in the drain for a couple of minutes.
Bring a pot of water to a boil while waiting.
Carefully pour the boiling hot water down the drain to flush the mixture.
Repeat this action as needed to maintain fresh-smelling drains.
10. Lemon juice, baking soda, and hot water
By using this affordable method to get rid of bad smell from sink you can alter your smelly kitchen into a fresh-smelling space. Here's how to make and use this potent deodorizer:
Assemble your ingredients: lemon juice, baking soda, and hot water.
Swap out vinegar for lemon juice if you want - both create bubbles when they meet baking soda.
Use baking soda as your secret weapon against mold and gutter smells.
Mix these ingredients to form a potent cleaner that will banish kitchen odors.
Apply the solution to smelly areas and watch it work its magic.
Enjoy your newly freshened kitchen, free from unpleasant odors.
11. Baking soda, essential oils, and boiling water
There are several health benefits of essential oils, but did you know it also helps to eradicate the smelly sink? Here's how to create and use this aromatic drain refresher:
Start with three key ingredients: Essential oils, baking soda, and boiling water.
You start by streaming roughly half a cup of baking soda down your drain.
Pick your favorite essential oils (eucalyptus, tea tree, mint works well also).
Place a few drops of your favorite (or even more than one) essential oil in the baking soda in your drain.
Place the mixture in a container and let them sit for an hour or leave it for an entire night in order for it to deep clean.
Flip it off, and flush the drain out with boiling hot water to activate the mixture.
The aroma of fresh, pleasant stuff coming from your newly refreshed drain will give you pleasure.
12. Use citrus fruits
This method offers a quick, effective way to freshen your sink while adding a pleasant aroma to your space. Here's how to use citrus fruits effectively to get smell out of sink drain:
Choose your citrus: grab an orange or lemon from your fruit bowl.
Turn on the water in your sink.
Slice the citrus fruit and place one slice in the running water.
If you have a garbage disposal, run it for a few seconds with the citrus slice.
Watch as the citrus cleans and deodorizes your sink and disposal, reaching about four inches down.
Enjoy the fresh, citrusy scent that now fills your kitchen or bathroom.
Remember, while not as budget-friendly as vinegar, lemon juice works wonders for smell elimination.
Note: Never put a whole citrus fruit down the drain - it could damage your plumbing.
13. Pour bleach solution
Keep your kitchen sink odor-free with this simple, effective bleach solution method. It will help you maintain a pleasant-smelling kitchen environment, eliminating persistent drain odors at their source.
Here's how to perform this weekly cleaning ritual:
Mix your cleaning solution: Make a mixture of one cup of bleach and one gallon of water.
Add the bleach solution down your kitchen sink drain.
To get working, let the solution sit in your drain for approximately one hour.
Turn on the hot water after an hour, and then run it for a few minutes to flush out the bleach.
For added freshness, add a teaspoon of baking soda to your bleach solution before streaming.
Do this once a week for a fresh-smelling sink.
Watch as this routine kills odor-causing bacteria and breaks up stuck food particles.
Enjoy a consistently clean and fresh-smelling kitchen sink with minimal effort.
What Causes Bad Smells In Kitchen Sink Drain
Unpleasant odours from your kitchen sink can turn an amiable cooking experience into a nightmare. Here's a breakdown of the major crooks behind those nasty odors:
1. Food Buildup:
This is the most frequent cause of sink stench.
Food particles, grease, and organic matter get trapped in pipes.
Since they decompose, they release foul odors.
Prevention: Don’t scuff the food into the drain when washing dishes.
2. Garbage Disposal Issues:
If you have a disposal unit, it can harbor old food scraps.
These trapped bits rot and smell if not regularly cleaned.
Prevention: Run your garbage disposal frequently to grind up food remnants.
3. Soap Scum:
Over time, soap residue can form a hard barrier in your pipes.
This barrier traps organic matter, leading to bad smells.
It can also cause clogs, confining water flow and worsening odors.
Prevention: Use mild soap and cleanse thoroughly after washing dishes.
4. Mold and Mildew Growth:
These fungi thrive in damp environments like sinks.
They release spores that create a musty odor.
Beyond the smell, they can pose health risks if ingested.
Prevention: Clean any evident mold or mildew immediately.
Tips For Keeping Your Drain Smelling Fresh
Keep your kitchen sink drain odor-free with these simple, effective strategies:
1. Flush with hot water daily:
Run hot water down your drain for a minute each day.
This helps wash away buildup before it can cause odors.
2. Use baking soda and vinegar weekly:
Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain.
Follow with 1/2 cup white vinegar.
Let it fizz for 15 minutes, then rinse with hot water.
This natural cleaner deodorizes and breaks down grime.
3. Grind citrus peels in the disposal:
Sprint lemon, lime, or orange peels through your garbage disposal.
The citrus oils clean and leave a fresh scent.
4. Clean the drain stopper regularly:
Remove and scrub the drain stopper weekly.
It collects gunk that can cause odors.
5. Use a drain strainer:
Install a strainer to catch food particles and hair.
Clean it out after each use to prevent buildup.
6. Elude pouring grease down the drain:
Grease stiffens in pipes, trapping odor-causing bacteria.
Discard of grease in the trash instead.
7. Run ice cubes through the disposal:
The ice helps scrape away buildup on disposal blades.
It also sharpens the blades for more efficient grinding.