Does your bathroom sink give off unpleasant odors? Does your kitchen sink smell of « plumbing »? One of the most common problems in the home is a bad smell coming from kitchen and bathroom sink traps.
The problem may be due to an obstruction, a very dirty siphon, or deterioration of the siphon. We show you 4 homemade formulas to remove bad odor from siphons at home.
There is nothing more unpleasant than coming home and seeing a bad smell in the kitchen or bathroom. And even if these rooms are properly cleaned and disinfected, « plumbing » odors can appear and become a very serious problem for the livability of the house.
To get to the root of the problem, we need to start by checking the siphons. What are siphons? A siphon is a double-bend pipe in which the retained water prevents gases from escaping from the pipes to the outside. Thus, a siphon placed in the pipes of a sink or a bathtub, for example, will block the passage of bad odors that are generated in the general sewerage system.
This is why, at the slightest sign of a bad smell, it is essential to clean them and / or unblock them.
What causes bad odors in siphons?
What happens when the odor isolator, the siphon, causes these bad odors? A priori, the most common cause of bad odors in siphons is the accumulation of food, drink and hygiene product residues (toothpaste, rinses, soaps, etc.) which tend to stick together. to the walls of the siphon, generating volatile aldehydes with a very unpleasant odor.
Also, keep in mind that when the faucets are not used for a while, the siphons will dry up. When reused, gases are released, the product of fermentation, which rise and generate this « sewage odor » in the house. In short, no matter how clean your kitchen, bathroom or patio is, bad odors can appear in pipes or siphons.
However, there are four solutions that can put an end to these unpleasant odors.
Solutions for odor traps
First of all, it is necessary to distinguish whether the problem is caused by a dirty and clogged siphon or if it comes from the poor condition of the plumbing in the building or the house. In the latter case, the final solution will be to change the pipes, as this indicates a poor condition of the pipes.
In the first case, for example, a good solution (although rather laborious) is to open the siphon container (a round cover placed on the bathroom floor or under the sink), to empty all the waste with hot water, soap and a disinfectant such as bleach (chlorine).
But before you resort to the more time-consuming option, consider applying the following homemade tips – they are faster and work just as well!
1. Vinegar and fruit salt
One of the best homemade solutions for getting rid of a smelly siphon is to pour an entire jar of fruit salt into the siphon, plus a quart of hot water and half a liter of white cleaning vinegar. Then immediately plug the drain for 30 minutes.
When the time has elapsed, release a large amount of hot water to finish cleaning the siphon. The vinegar will react with the salt of the fruit to form a gas which will squeeze out the plugs and the pockets of bad smells. It will also be used to clean the walls of the siphon of all soap and grease residues that are dumped there daily.
Remember that the vinegar should be the cleaning vinegar (alcohol vinegar) because it has higher acidity. Make sure you haven’t used the drain for at least an hour before cleaning it.
2. Vinegar and baking soda
One of the ultimate formulas for getting rid of bad odors in kitchens and bathrooms is to pour a cup of baking soda plus two cups of cleaning vinegar down the drain. There will then be a frothy reaction that you will need to cover. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes and pour in a large amount of hot water to clean.
The hotter the water, the easier it is to remove dirt. Baking soda is also a great product for bleaching a very dirty, yellowish tub.
3. Liquid ammonia
Liquid ammonia is an ideal cleaning product for removing dirt and bad odors from pipes. And, although its greatest power is to degrease, this product has incredible properties for removing detergents and product residues that adhere to the walls of the pipes.
For example, in the event that the shower drain does not drain water or does so very slowly, remove the cover using a screwdriver, remove all hair and objects that are clogging it and pour two or three plugs of liquid ammonia in the drain and let the product sit for 5 minutes.
Then use pressurized water to finish cleaning the shower hose. Screw the cover back on and that’s it. If you find that the cover has traces of mold, wipe it off with a cloth dampened in pure bleach.
4. Coarse salt and lemon juice
Another of the most popular remedies for removing waste and removing unpleasant odors from siphons and pipes is to pour half a cup of coarse salt and a cup of lemon juice into the drain. Wait 15 to 20 minutes for the two products to react against the dirt.
Finally, pour a liter of boiling water into the pipe to flush out the debris and evacuate it. If the bad smell reappears, we recommend that you repeat this task at least three times a week.
As you can see, the four solutions are simple, economical, artisanal and 100% ecological. If after applying these tips the « pipe odor » persists, it is most likely due to a malfunction in the sewage disposal system in your home or the building where you live.
