Smelly kitchen sink

fun loving criminal

So I have a smelly kitchen sink and I tried pouring baking soda and vinegar down and a separate time pouring bleach down the sink. But it doesn't seem to help. So how can I fix this?

DublinDilbert

You need to remove the trap under the sink and clean it out. If you have never done this before you might need to get a friend who has.

If the trap is full of crap it might be just that it hasn't be cleaned in a long time, or the fall on the out going pipes might be wrong. Post a picture here and people can advise.

beachhead

A very good suggestion by DublinDilbert. Don't waste money on chemical cleaners without first cleaning the trap and don't forget the plug hole itself. An old toothbrush is useful for that

DublinDilbert

IF they outgoing pipes are not correct, no amount of chemical cleaning will do the job. Many sinks are installed with the wrong fall on the waste pipe, leading to the traps getting backed up and stinking. Once the fall is sorted on the waste pipes the problem doesn't come back again.

chooseusername

Also, check the overflow.

Does anything else discharge into the waste? washing machine / dishwasher

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121922795#Comment_121922795

Is that the u shaped pipe under the sink? I'll check out a YouTube video.

SuperBowserWorld

Put a basin under it to catch the water and make sure you don't lose the O rings when unscrewing the pipes and put them back on the right way if they come off

Oscar_Madison

In addition to checking the above, if that doesn’t work you may also find that your outside drain is blocked- so essentially the smell is emanating back the pipe and up into your kitchen - no harm even checking that first- its usually the cause in my own experience

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121922795#Comment_121922795

Thanks for this advice. I cleaned I took it off and cleaned it. And it seemed to have worked.

DublinDilbert

leave a piece of kitchen roll flat under the u bend to check for leaks.

If you find you need to clean this out every 6 -8 months, there is probably an issue with the fall on the outgoing pipes.

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121927278#Comment_121927278

Thanks, I left kitchen paper under the u bend because that just made sense. I didn't get any wet kitchen paper.

circadian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121923058#Comment_121923058

+1 for outside drain, especially if it's a drain for other pipes as well.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121929129#Comment_121929129

Oh I hate when I get that smell - once every few years 😀

fun loving criminal

Can the overflow pipe be cleaned as well?