Choosing Better Plumbing Fixtures

If your kitchen sink drain gives off a foul odor after you unclogged it, you may wonder how you can get rid of the scent right away. The odor emitting from your sink drain is most likely caused by rotting food particles and old grease. Although you unclogged the drain, you may not have removed all of the debris inside the drain. Here are simple tips you can use to clean it out now.

What Do You Need to Clean Out the Drain?

You'll need several cleaning supplies to complete your plumbing project, including:

• 1/4 cup of dish detergent
• 3 cups of white vinegar
• 1 plunger with wide base
• 1 protective covering for your flooring, such as an old bath towel or plastic tarp
• 1 pair of rubber gloves with long sleeves
• 1 pair of protective eye wear or goggles

Dish detergent contains degreasers that can break up the grease in your drain. Vinegar contains acids that can help kill the contaminants created by the rotting food, including mold. You need the plunger just in case you didn't remove the clog completely. Now, you're ready to begin.

How Do You Clean Out the Drain?

Before you get started, remove all items from the sink. You don't want contaminants to fling on the items as you complete the cleaning. Spread the towel or tarp around the base of your sink to protect the flooring from water. Put on your gloves and goggles, then follow the steps below:

1. Turn on your cold water tap and allow the water to run down the drain. Hot water may make the odor worse.
2. Place the base of the plunger over the drain's opening, then move it up and down to help remove the leftover food and grease. You may need to do this step for 4 or 5 minutes to successfully remove the remnants of the clog. The time may vary, so use your best judgment.
3. Turn off the water.
4. Remove the plunger and place it on the towel or tarp.
5. Pour the vinegar down the drain and allow 15 minutes for it to sanitize the pipe.
6. Turn the cold water tap back on, then pour the dish detergent down the drain.
7. Wait until the soap's foam or suds disappear before turning off the water.
8. Discard your goggles, eyewear and floor covering in the trash.
9. Wet a small washcloth with water and 3 capfuls of vinegar, then wipe down your kitchen sink. 

You may want to wait a day or so to see if the smell goes away after the cleaning. Again, the time may vary for this step, so it's a good idea that you check the drain periodically.

If it the smells doesn't go away within three or four days, contact a plumber, such as Two Men And A Snake, for help. You may have an additional clog further down the drain.