How to Fix a Stinky Sink

If you smell a strange and unusual odor coming from your kitchen check the usual suspects like the garage cans first but if your nose leads you to the sink area you'll need to further investigate. A stinky sink could be caused by 2 different reasons. The first and most probable cause of a stinky kitchen sink is bacteria in the kitchen drain and the second most common cause is a leak under the kitchen sink.

A study done in 2007 by Reckitt Benckiser (the company that owns Lysol products) and the Hygiene Council revealed that the kitchen drain has 5 times more bacteria than your bathroom toilet. One of their findings was that an average kitchen sponge had more germs than almost any place in your house. It is recommended that you rinse your sponge after each use in soapy water and squeeze it dry. I have also heard that you can put a sponge in the microwave for a couple of seconds (2-3) and that will kill most of the bacteria. It is also recommended that you use a new sponge every month because the bacteria build up can spread all over your kitchen when you use an old sponge in your kitchen.

Besides your kitchen sponge the kitchen drain is another trap for stinky bacteria in fact they have a kitchen pipe under your sink nicknamed "the trap", it's that squiggly "U" shaped piece of pipe that is used to trap the bacterial gases from coming back up the pipe and exhaling into your sink. To fix a foul smelling kitchen sink you'll need to remove all the stuff stored under the sink so you can get at the trap. Next you'll need a bucket to catch any sewage water that may drip from the pipe. I recommend wearing rubber gloves when working with such high levels of bacteria to protect your hands.

How to clean a stinky sink trap:

You may need to use additional lighting so you can see better under the cabinet so if you have a small lamp you can set it on the floor to provide enough light to see. Slide the bucket under the sink trap so when you start to loosen it you'll be ready to catch all that bacteria. Take a large pair of pliers or use your fingers to loosen the nuts on both sides of the "U" pipe. Once they have been loosened the trap piece of pipe should easily come off if it has not already fallen into the bucket. Leave the bucket in place and clean the trap pipe in another sink in the house. Notice all the slimy material inside… that is bacteria. I've found a toothbrush and some cleanser work really well at removing the bacteria. You will also want to clean the exposed pipe ends under the kitchen sink with a wet rag and some cleanser as well. Replace the sink trap and tighten the nuts and run water down the sink to look for leaks. If there are no leaks remove the bucket and replace all the items back under the sink.

How to keep kitchen sink & garbage disposal smelling wonderfully clean:

If you have a garbage disposal use citrus peels from oranges, lemons or grapefruit. Not only does this clean the garbage disposal it naturally kills bacteria and makes the kitchen smell really fresh.
A small amount of bleach mixed with water and poured down the drain will help to kill germs. Be cautious and never mix bleach with other soaps because the toxic fumes are very dangerous.
Baking soda and vinegar are mildly effective but I have used this method too.
Baking soda and lemon are also popular choices for people who want to naturally clean without toxic chemicals such as bleach.

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