How to eliminate smell from the kitchen sink: effective methods and recommendations. How to eliminate bad odor from kitchen sink Odor from kitchen sink

How to eliminate smell from the kitchen sink: effective methods and recommendations.  How to eliminate bad odor from kitchen sink Odor from kitchen sink
How to eliminate smell from the kitchen sink: effective methods and recommendations. How to eliminate bad odor from kitchen sink Odor from kitchen sink

No matter how clean the housewife is, and no matter how carefully she monitors the cleanliness kitchen sink, over time, the problem of disgusting sewer smell will still appear. What to do and how to deal with this? There are two ways out of the situation: eliminate the unpleasant odor yourself or seek the help of a specialist.

Causes of odor

Sometimes the reason can be very simple, and the first thing every housewife resorts to when the kitchen sink stinks is to unscrew and clean the siphon. The fact is that over time, fat and dirt accumulate in the siphon, stick to the walls of the pipe, and rotting processes begin. This is what causes “sewage odors.” But these are not all possible problems.

So, let's try to understand the main reasons for the unpleasant sewage smell from your sink, other than the above. First of all, you need to understand the structure and functionality of the pipes running directly under the sink.

We all know what a siphon is. So, every siphon must have a water seal or a so-called water lock. After each drain of water, a certain amount of liquid is retained in the S-shaped part of the siphon. The water here plays the role of a kind of plug that traps odors from the drain and prevents them from spreading throughout the kitchen.

Regardless of which siphon you have installed, corrugated or flask (also called a bottle siphon), the principle of operation of both is absolutely the same - there must always be water there as a barrier to odor. Violation of this principle leads to the appearance of a corresponding “aroma” that will become a curtain in your kitchen. So why does water stop staying in the siphon?

And how to eliminate the disgusting aroma?

  1. Often, instead of a siphon, a corrugated pipe is installed, which tends to stretch and sag over time. Even if the installation corrugated pipe and its S-bend were done correctly, it will still lose its shape. To avoid this and delay pipe replacement by for a long time, it is necessary to secure the corrugation using special devices. They should be purchased together with the pipe. Another way: secure the pipe with special insulating tape.
  2. The siphon was not installed correctly. Often difficulties arise with flask siphons. If plastic pipe does not reach the water in the siphon flask, then an unpleasant odor is guaranteed, because sewer stench will seep over the water lock. This misunderstanding can be corrected by adjusting the position of the pipe. It should sink 2-3 cm into the water, but it should not touch the bottom of the flask.
  3. Also, a disgusting smell appears if the kitchen sink has not been used for a long time. If you have been away from home for a long time, and upon returning you notice that there is a smell from the kitchen sink, then most likely the problem is evaporated water from the siphon. To prevent this, you should pour some sunflower oil down the drain before leaving. The oil forms a thin film on the water, which will delay the rapid evaporation of water. Well, if you still forgot to do this or did not know about this option, then you just need to lower more water. After some time, the disgusting smell will disappear.
  4. Probably one of the most common problems with a kitchen sink is repairing or even installing it yourself. If the corrugated pipe was not installed by a specialist, then it is likely that an “economical method” of installation was used. In this case, the water seal may not be formed correctly, causing water to either rise back into the sink, or not be retained and go down the drain. There are also cases of stretching the corrugation and “sticking” it directly into the riser. Believe me, you shouldn't do this.

Other Causes of Bad Kitchen Sink Odor

Sometimes the problem may lie not only in the siphon or its incorrect installation.

A disgusting odor may also appear due to the following reasons:

  • Cracking or others mechanical damage drain pipes can also cause odor. Water seeps through and saturates the walls and floor, which over time begin to grow mold.
  • Airing the riser. If the riser becomes very clogged, then when water passes through it, characteristic sounds are heard, after which a sewer stench appears. In this case, you will have to contact the housing office, because you cannot do it yourself.
  • The seal between the sewer and the drain has disappeared. In this case, you need to go over the joint with sealant again. It is best to choose silicone sealant.

Instructions

Flushing pipes with special chemicals. First, try simply cleaning the sink drain, since the smell may be caused by rotting and decomposition of waste and fat accumulated on the walls of the pipe. Special means for cleaning sewer pipes such as “Mole”, “Odorgon”, “Brawler”, San Clean - Super Master Cleaner, Domestos, etc. can help you with this.

Usage household products. Use products that you are likely to find in your kitchen. Pour salt into the pipe and rinse with water after a while. Or dilute 2 tablespoons of washing soda with 1 liter of boiling water and immediately pour this bubbling mixture into the drain. You can use baking soda and vinegar - pour baking soda into the pipe, fill it with vinegar and plug the hole. After half an hour, rinse well with water. It is recommended to repeat such procedures at least once a week for prevention.

Inspection of plumbing equipment and elimination of defects. Check the integrity of sewer pipes and joints. Poorly fitted revisions of risers and damage to joints and pipes can also cause an unpleasant odor.

Listen to how the water flows. If you hear strange gurgling sounds, this is a sign that the water seal is broken, that is, there is no water in the water seal, which should prevent the smell from the sewer from entering the apartment. The reason may be the formation of a vacuum in the riser or the large length and strong slopes of the connections. Another reason may be poor ventilation of the sewer network or a small diameter of the riser. In such cases, the help of plumbers is most often required.

Check the siphon or corrugated pipe, depending on what you have installed. The siphon may be initially incorrect. The most common defect is a shortened septum. Because of this, the water seal is small and constantly breaks down, that is, the water escapes. The problem can be solved by replacing the siphon.

If you simply have a corrugated pipe installed, then the problem may be that it has become bent. For the first time, until you buy a new pipe, try to bring the old one into desired position, twisting it properly and securing it with adhesive tape.

note

When using chemical products to clean sewer pipes, be sure to use gloves and protect your eyes. After treatment, be sure to rinse the pipe big amount water and ventilate the room.

Helpful advice

If the siphon and pipes are in order, and the smell appears periodically, the cause may be evaporation of water in the water seal due to rapid evaporation or infrequent use of the sanitary appliance. If you often leave for a long time, fill the water seal with machine oil or other liquid that does not evaporate easily. This will help prevent the water seal from drying out and odors from entering.

The bathroom is the place in the house where the most high level humidity. This is why most families sooner or later face a problem dampness, which must be eliminated, as it creates excellent conditions for the appearance and reproduction of fungus, bacteria and other microorganisms.

Instructions

Sometimes a special one helps get rid of it duct fan, which will remove excess moisture from the room. A ventilation grille should be located as far as possible so that air passes through the entire room. In addition, the doors leading to the bathroom must have special ventilation holes.

Takes ~2 minutes to read

Housewives put a lot of work into getting a comfortable cozy atmosphere in the apartment. Special attention is given to the kitchen, because this is where food is prepared and dishes are cleaned of dirt. Unpleasant odors often appear in this room, which gradually spread throughout the apartment. One of the reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon is considered to be a blockage in the sewer system. In our article we will learn how to eliminate odor from the kitchen sink, consider the causes of its occurrence and methods of combating it.

Causes

Before choosing a specific method for eliminating an unpleasant odor, you need to understand the cause of its occurrence:

  1. Formation of blockage in the siphon. When washing dishes, grease, cereals, vegetable peelings and food waste enter the sewer system. Over time, these substances accumulate on the walls of the pipes or in the siphon and form plugs. Rotting deposits create an unpleasant odor, which can only be removed by thoroughly cleaning the siphon.
  2. The second popular reason is inconsistent use of the sink. A water seal does not form in the siphon, which should prevent the penetration of foreign odors from sewer system. If the plumbing fixtures have not been used for their intended purpose for a long time, the liquid will evaporate and the smell will penetrate the room.
  3. Incorrect siphon installation.
  4. Corrugation deformation during operation. Over time, the tube changes its initial location and may sag or stretch. In this situation, a blockage or complete drain liquid into the sewer, which prevents the formation of a water seal in the siphon.
  5. Lack of sealing at the junction of the riser and pipes. The corrugation is simply stuck into the drain hole after the siphon, its second end is inserted into the sewer.
  6. Airing is accompanied by a characteristic gurgling sound from the sink. This phenomenon often occurs when neighbors above have installed plugs on sewer inlets.

As we can see, unpleasant odors in the kitchen can appear due to various reasons. Next, we’ll find out how to get rid of smell from the sink.

Relevance of the issue

The smell from the sink is not only unpleasant, substances entering the premises can affect human health. The air entering the room from the sewer system contains harmful gases(ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and methane). The latter substance is especially dangerous; it is impossible to notice its presence, because methane does not emit an odor.

Prolonged exposure to harmful fumes leads to loss of smell and affects the respiratory organs. These gases also act on nervous system. A person develops a feeling of anxiety, which can lead to nervous breakdowns.

A plumber will help you diagnose sanitary equipment, but you will have to wait a long time for a specialist and then pay for the services. This option is recommended for use in case of serious damage; most of the work can be done independently without special skills.

First you need to monitor the operation of the sink. If the liquid drains normally, but the smell does not disappear, flush the pipe hot water With detergents or a solution of vinegar and baking soda. If such operations do not give the desired result, you will have to inspect the pipes and siphon for cracks and leaking connections. Perhaps in engineering communications there is a leak. If moisture is detected, the joints are sealed with sealant or wrapped with foam tape.

Methods to combat unpleasant odors

Before you eliminate sewer smell in the kitchen, you need to understand the cause of its occurrence. If all connections of sanitary fixtures are sealed, then an unpleasant odor enters the room through the formation of blockages in the pipes. There are several methods for destroying traffic jams; let’s look at them in more detail.

Cleaning cable

A standard steel cable will not solve the problem; to destroy the plug, you need to use a special product with a hook and a brush. Its length ranges from 3-5 meters; a handle is installed at the end for performing rotational movements.

To remove a blockage in the sewer, you must take the following steps:

  • Remove the corrugation from the inlet to the sewer system.
  • Insert the cable into the pipe and begin to push it to the maximum depth.
  • We rotate the handle and at the same time hold the casing.
  • Similar manipulations are carried out until the cable comes into contact with the blockage. Next, you can try to destroy the cork or pull it out using a hook.

After the procedures, the instrument is thoroughly washed and its surface is lubricated. machine oil and put in a box for storage.

Using a plunger

This device is used when deposits form in the siphon, when there is no desire to disassemble the device. Next, we will describe how to get rid of smell from a sink using a plunger. To do this you need:

  • install the cap on the drain hole on the sink;
  • turn on the hot water tap and wait until the liquid completely covers the cap;
  • close the valve and alternately move the plunger handle, up and down;
  • after several such techniques, we remove the device, and some of the sediment from the siphon should fall into the sink;
  • open hot water and wash off the dirt.

Instead of a siphon, you can use improvised means, for example, a juice or milk carton. In such a container, we cut off the upper part, insert it into the drain hole and act like a plunger with periodic movements up and down.

If the cause of the unpleasant odor is in the siphon, then this device can be disassembled. We take out the corrugation from the sewer pipe and substitute a bucket, open the tap and pour water into the sink. If the liquid does not flow, it is necessary to disassemble the siphon. For this:

  1. place the container and carefully unscrew the cap;
  2. unscrew the nuts and remove the corrugation, remove the blockage;
  3. The siphon is assembled in the reverse order.

At the final stage of work, we check the tightness of the connections. To do this, just turn on the water. If necessary, tighten the fasteners.

Fighting blockages using improvised means

How to remove sewer smell from a sink if you don’t have it on hand necessary equipment? The following tools will help with this:

  • Pour a glass of salt into the sink drain hole and add 500 milliliters of boiling water. After 3 hours, turn on the hot water.
  • Mix baking soda and salt in equal proportions and pour into the sink. After half an hour, apply boiling water to the mixture. If the smell remains, we repeat the procedure or use more effective methods.
  • Pour 2 tbsp into the siphon. Spoons of soda, then pour a glass of vinegar and cover the hole with a rag or stopper. After 10 minutes, rinse the pipes with boiling water.
  • Pour the contents of a sachet of citric acid powder into the drain and add a small amount hot water. Chemical reaction should help break up the blockage.
  • We use special remedy“Mole” according to the instructions on the package. This drug is more aggressive than citric acid or a mixture of soda and vinegar.

You can also use other tools to remove blockages in the sink. chemicals. They are bought in the store household chemicals, use according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Preventive actions

How to remove smell from kitchen sink? The best way is considered to prevent blockages. To do this you need:

  1. Use a special mesh to trap food waste in the sink. Do not pour tea leaves or coffee grounds into the sink.
  2. After washing dishes, rinse the pipes with hot water. This will prevent the accumulation of fats in the siphon or corrugation.
  3. Carry out periodic maintenance of the sink. Pour baking soda and vinegar into the drain hole. Such operations must be carried out at least once a week.
  4. If the plumbing will be long time inactive (the owners went on vacation), pour a little into the siphon vegetable oil. This liquid does not evaporate, which will prevent the penetration of foreign odors from the sewer system.

Buy high-quality siphons that you can disassemble yourself. In this case, the user will be able to repair the equipment himself without calling a plumber.

Conclusion

There are a huge number of ways to get rid of odor in the sink, but before taking specific actions, it is necessary to identify the cause of its occurrence and choose the most effective means. The recommendations in this article will help you solve the problem yourself and achieve the desired result.

We are used to the fact that the kitchen usually smells delicious of freshly prepared food. But sometimes a strong smell from the sink can disturb this idyll of aromas. There can be many reasons for such a stench; in order to completely and permanently get rid of this problem, you need to properly understand the design of the siphon and sewer pipeline in the kitchen. In addition, if you have a washing machine in your kitchen, then its drain is connected to a siphon from the kitchen sink, so an unpleasant odor can also come from the machine. In addition to the usual discomfort, gases from sewer pipes can be harmful to humans because they contain hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and other toxic substances.

Causes of a strong odor from the kitchen sink or washing machine there may be many. First of all, you need to understand why the sewer smells, and then try to fix the problem.

So, an unpleasant smell from the sink can occur for the following reasons:

  1. Most often, the problem lies in the siphon or the water seal in it.
  2. Sometimes an unpleasant odor is due to clogged sewer pipes.
  3. Damage to the sewer pipeline.
  4. It may not smell like drain hole sinks, but from the overflow that most modern kitchen sinks have.

Once you understand where the stink comes from, you can figure out what to do next to fix the problem. Our recommendations will help you with this.

Siphon problems

In most cases, the smell from the sink is associated with problems with the siphon. You can see this product if you look under the sink. A plastic structure in the form of a curved smooth or corrugated pipe is called a siphon. It is designed in such a way that water always remains in its curved elbow - a water plug that does not allow gases from the sewer pipes to penetrate into the room. If the kitchen smells like sewage, it means the siphon is not doing its job.

There are two types of siphons: corrugated and flask. They all have the same principle of operation. There should always be water in the siphon elbow, which acts as a plug and does not allow odors to escape from the pipes. If gases pass through, then the siphon has one of the following faults:

  1. The corrugated siphon pipe may sag. This usually happens if the pipe bend is fixed not with special holders, but with electrical tape or tape. However, even a properly secured pipe can become deformed over time. In this case, you need to either properly attach the pipe bend using clamps, or buy a new siphon.
  2. If mistakes were made during installation of the siphon, then air from the sewer pipes will penetrate into the room. To get rid of an unpleasant smell in the kitchen, you need to properly assemble the flask siphon. Usually when self-installation Many owners make a mistake and attach the pipe going from the sink bowl to the siphon above the level of the water seal. In fact, it should be attached to the siphon 2-3 cm below the surface of the water plug in the water seal. In this case, you should not make this pipe touch the bottom of the flask.
  3. Drying out of the water seal. If you left home for a long time and no one used the water, that is, water did not drain into the drain hole, then the water plug in the siphon may simply dry out. In this case, gases from the sewer pipes will freely penetrate into the room. To get rid of an unpleasant smell in the kitchen, just drain the water into the sink drain hole and the water plug will be restored.

Advice: if you are going to leave for a long time, then you should add a little vegetable oil to the drain holes of all sanitary appliances. The oil film on the surface of the water seal will prevent water from evaporating, and upon returning home you will not find an unpleasant odor from the sewer pipes in the apartment.

Sometimes it is not possible to eliminate an unpleasant odor because the drain from the washing machine is not connected correctly to the siphon in the kitchen. Drain hose from the washing machine it is not connected directly to the sewer, but to a siphon, since the standardized distance from the floor level must be maintained. In addition, such a connection will not allow gases from the sewer to penetrate through the drain pipe into the washing machine, since there will be a siphon water seal in their way.

However, if you connected the washing machine yourself, you could violate this requirement and connect the drain directly to the sewer. In this case, the unit may smell unpleasant. To connect the drain from the washing machine, you need to buy a special siphon, which has an additional pipe for this purpose. It is located slightly above the water seal, and not below it, like a sink drain.

Water seal failure

Sometimes even with correct installation siphon, the water seal breaks down. This happens when problems arise in the main sewer pipeline or when there are violations during the installation process:

  1. If the installation of the sewer pipeline was carried out using pipes of a smaller diameter than those provided for by the requirements, then when draining, water will completely fill the lumen of the pipe, causing a vacuum in pressure and failure of the water seal. To get rid of this problem, you need to replace the pipes with new products of a suitable diameter.
  2. Sometimes, even in pipes of the required cross-section, a vacuum in pressure may occur when water is drained and the water seal may fail. This happens when the pipeline is clogged, then the flowing water will fill the entire narrowed lumen of the pipe. To fix the problem, you need to clean the sewer pipeline in the apartment.
  3. To equalize the pressure in the main sewer system, a ventilation pipe is installed on the roof of the house. If it becomes clogged, then the massive drainage of water will break the water seals in all apartments running along this riser. In this case, you need to call professionals and clean fan pipe from the roof.

Fighting clogs and damaged pipes

If everything is in order with the siphon and water seal, then the cause of the unpleasant smell in the kitchen may lie in the pipes. To check them you need to do the following:

  1. Slow drainage of water from the sink may indicate clogged pipes. It does not flow out immediately, but stagnates in the sink for some time. You can remove the blockage using a plunger. To do this, you need to open the water so that it gets into the sink. After this, press the plunger tightly to the drain hole and make vertical movements with it. Then remove the plunger from the drain and allow the water to drain. Instead, you can use special cleaning products to remove blockages in sewer pipes. Usually the composition is poured into the drain. After this, the glass is filled warm water. You shouldn’t use the sink for half an hour. After this time, the drain is washed generously with tap water.
  2. If water flows out of the sink normally, then the problem lies in a leaking pipe. This may occur due to its damage or depressurization of the connection. In this case, you need to replace the damaged section of the pipeline or seal the weak connection with sealant.

The smell from the overflow

Modern kitchen sinks equipped with an overflow protection system. To do this, above the drain hole, not reaching the top edge of the sink a couple of centimeters, another hole is made. A tube goes from this hole to the siphon. This overflow protects you from flooding. For example, if water flows from a tap and the drain hole is blocked by dishes, the sink will quickly fill up. To prevent water from overflowing, an additional overflow hole is made in the upper part of the sink bowl.

Since water and food debris often get into it, they can be deposited in the form of plaque on the walls of the pipe and emit an unpleasant odor from the overflow hole. To eliminate this smell, you need to periodically pour boiling water into the overflow.

To get rid of the unpleasant odor from the drain hole, you can use baking soda(3 tbsp), diluting it in a glass of warm water and pouring it into the drain. Vinegar or citric acid, filled with boiling water. 30 minutes after any procedure, the sink should be rinsed with water.

The kitchen is a particularly polluted area. Keeping things clean while cooking is quite difficult. And therefore the housewife has to spend quite a lot of time on this. Despite all efforts, some unusable food or organic waste ends up in the drainpipes, they get stuck there and begin to deteriorate and emit an unpleasant odor. How to get rid of it?

Sink smell

90% of housewives have encountered the problem of an unpleasant odor from the kitchen sink, and each of them knows that the reason for its appearance may be:

  • the beginning of rotting(formed for the simple reason that fats and dirt accumulate in the siphon and begin to stick to the walls of the pipe from the inside);
  • incorrect siphon equipment;
  • lack of water in one of the parts of the drain.

In order to understand the second point, you need to understand how the sink in a standard kitchen is arranged. So, a siphon is a curved tube with an elbow in which there should be a hydrological seal, or water lock. After any drainage of liquid, a certain amount of liquid is retained in the S-shaped siphon area. It is this that plays the role of a specific plug, because it stops the entry of foreign odors from the drain pipe and does not allow them to be distributed throughout the entire kitchen space.

Regardless of the type of siphon installed, be it corrugated or flasked, the operating algorithm for each of them is exactly the same: they must contain water at all times, which will become a barrier to odor. If it is not in the installation, various and very unpleasant aromas appear in the kitchen.

The smell from the kitchen sink is unpleasant, uncomfortable and unhygienic

Other reasons

Alternative factors for the occurrence of this problem may lie not only in the area of ​​​​the siphon itself or its incorrect installation. So, odor formation may begin due to the following factors:

  • the appearance of small cracks or other defects in the drain pipe. The problem is aggravated by the fact that water, seeping through, begins to saturate the walls and floor, on which mold and mildew form over time;
  • airing the riser– when the riser becomes very quickly and noticeably clogged, when liquid passes through it, specific sounds are obvious, and immediately after them a characteristic aroma from the sewer appears. In such a case, it is best to contact the housing office, because you cannot handle this on your own;
  • loss of optimal sealing between the sewer area and the drain (more on ways to combat this below).

How to eliminate unpleasant odors in the kitchen, expert advice:

How to get rid

wrong installed siphon is one of the reasons for the smell from the sink

Most often, instead of a siphon, a corrugated pipe is installed, which is characterized by the ability to stretch or sag over time. Even if the structure of this pipe and its peculiar bend were configured in in the right order, it loses its shape in any case. This affects the formation of odor from the kitchen sink.


Avoid this by postponing pipe replacement until a long period time, it is possible if you fix the corrugation using various devices. They can be purchased along with the installation. Another proven method is to secure the pipe with professional insulating tape.

If the siphon is installed incorrectly, the main difficulties arise with flask-type devices. If the plastic pipe does not reach the water in the siphon bowl, then the appearance of an odor is guaranteed, because the stench from the sewer will flow into the pipe, bypassing the water lock.


If the kitchen sink has not been used for a long time, an unpleasant odor also appears.. The problem is the disappearance of water from the siphon. To prevent this, it is necessary to pour a small amount of sunflower oil into the “elbow” before a planned long absence. It shapes the thinnest film on water, which will help delay the forced evaporation of water.

Those who forgot or did not know about this option can always simply drain a significant amount of water. After some time, the unpleasant aroma will disappear.

If you are not a plumber, better call a specialist

Repairing or equipping the sink yourself is another contributing factor to sewer odor. In such a situation, it is most likely that:

  • hydrological seal is not formed correctly;
  • water begins to rise back into the sink;
  • does not linger and leaks into the sewer hole(as an alternative option).

There are also situations in which the corrugation stretches and is “stuck” into the riser itself. This is highly undesirable to do.

How to clean your sink of debris and get rid of unpleasant odors in our video:

The very first method that you can use yourself without the help of a plumber is to flush the pipes. This is done using a variety of special-purpose chemical components.

It is cleaned using means known to everyone, for example, “Mole” (and everything that contains caustic soda in a minimal proportion) or Domestos.

The advantages of the presented names are that they more than effectively cope with fat and food waste formed on the walls of pipes. In addition, their cost remains more than acceptable. However, using the products more than once every three to four weeks is highly undesirable.

You can resort to much simpler and more accessible methods. So, there are some products that can be found in any kitchen.

  • For example, in a kitchen sink drain you can:;
  • sprinkle some salt
  • wait no more than 30 minutes (usually 20 is enough);

Rinse the drain thoroughly with water. You can use soda instead of salt

, mixed with water in the following ratio: two tablespoons per liter of boiling water. The solution must be diluted and immediately poured into the drain. Due to chemical properties soda and high temperature minor blockages and fat deposits can be overcome. To combat more significant blockages or old growths, repeated use of the technique will be required.

Tormented by an unpleasant sewer smell? Watch video tips:

As mentioned earlier, another factor in kitchen sink odor could be a loss of seal between the drain area and the drain. In such a situation, it is necessary to re-use the sealant and treat the joint area with it. It would be best to use a silicone type component. It restores sealing much more efficiently.

How regular baking soda will help get rid of unpleasant odors, and at the same time clean old stains:

Thus, there are a large number of ways to combat unpleasant smell from the kitchen sink. Some of them are simple and can be done independently at home, while others are best left to specialists.