Getting an uninviting whiff from your kitchen and bathroom sink as you walk past?
The first thing to understand is why the odour occurs, which can help with preventing it from reoccurring...
What causes drain odour?
Usually the unpleasant smell coming from your drains is the cause of one of these three options; dry trap, pipe blockage or mould.
A dry trap is common with drains which are not frequently used. So if your home has been left empty for a while or you have a bath which is only used once in a blue moon you might notice a fusty smell building up. This is where the lack of water flowing through the pipes and taps causes the sewer fumes to come up the drains.
More common with households where a lot of hair goes down the plug holes, whether it be human or animal hair. The build-up of this combined with soap can cause blockages in the pipes. This might not be noticeable in terms of the water flow, as often it does not stop water passing through the drain. But the build of of dead hair and soap causes bad bacterial which ultimately causes the awful smell.
The one which most households will experience is the build-up of mould and mildew. This is usually most common with kitchen sinks with the combination of food and drink waste going down the plug hole on a regular basis and is usually contributed to over a long period of time.
How to fix a smelly drain
Regardless of the above cause, there is one solution which is fit for all!
Start by putting 30 grams of baking soda into the smelly drain.
Pour a 1 litre of white vinegar into the drain and let it sit for two hours.
Pour four litres of hot water (not boiling) into the drain and wait for 15 minutes.
Run the taps/shower on cold water for up to 10 min to rinse the vinegar down.
