What Makes a Kitchen Sink Smell of Sewage?

The kitchen is usually one of the busiest places at home and the kitchen sink, in particular, is where most of us stop several times a day. Whether you’re washing dishes or placing a dirty plate in the sink, a strong sewage-like odor can stop anyone in their tracks. It can be worse too, as the sewage smell can spread across the house and make being indoors quite uncomfortable. There are a few different reasons that can cause these nasty smells.

Food in the drain

Quite often, the smell of rotten food trapped by grease and oil inside the pipes that are causing the problem. For example, if someone pours vegetable oil down the drain after cooking, it will get trapped in the lower pipe. Then, when everything starts to decompose, a strong odor will rush back up to the kitchen sink.

Fortunately, this particular issue has a relatively easy fix. Pouring dish soap and hot water down the drain often does the trick. If the issue persists, a baking soda and vinegar combination tends to finish the job. Just leave the two ingredients in the drain; after 15 minutes, pour boiling water down the drain to flush it out.

Dirty garbage disposal

If there’s a garbage disposal installed on the kitchen sink, that complicates matters somewhat. The food and other gunk can get stuck on the blades and start smelling bad. It’s primarily a problem with overused garbage disposals that haven’t had any maintenance. To solve the problem, call a professional plumber or garbage disposal installer.

P-trap issues

The curvy pipe underneath the sink is called the P-trap. This pipe aims to prevent sewer smells from coming up to the pipe and into the home. So, if there are sewer smells present around the sink and in the kitchen, there may be a problem with the P-trap.

However, keep in mind that if the sink hasn’t been used for a while, this smell is not unusual. It should go away after some water runs through the trap. If that’s not the case, emptying and cleaning the trap with a brush and some detergent should solve the problem.

Clogged vent

If the sewage smell persists, but the P-trap is not the problem, a clogged plumbing drain vent is the only other possibility. This is a long shaft that connects the main sewer line indoors to the outside air. Without this vent, the sewer gas would have direct access to the sink.

Usually, the plumbing vent sits on the roof of the house. If it’s not working, there is probably an obstruction of some kind, possibly a bird’s nest or other debris.

Keeping the sewage smells out

An occasional whiff of funky odor coming from the kitchen sink is not an alarming occurrence. However, the smell of rotten food and sewage that won’t go away can be quite stressful for anyone. Preventative measures such as not pouring cooking grease down the drain and occasionally cleaning the garbage disposal can work well.

Still, whether the P-trap needs cleaning or a plumbing vent is clogged, it’s often best to call a plumbing professional to resolve the problem.

Much Better Plumbing is the premier residential and commercial plumbing service for homeowners and businesses in the Las Vegas area. We are licensed, bonded, and insured. Call us today at 702-996-5220.