Don’t you love walking to your kitchen after it is perfectly clean, no dishes in the sink, and no crumbs on the counter? A kitchen after all is where you create meals for you and your family; entertain guests and well the kitchen tends to be a gathering place in most homes. There’s nothing worse than walking into a kitchen only to be engulfed by awful smells coming from the sink. If you have a sink that stinks, you either need to clean the drain or clean the garbage disposal. Here are a few home remedies to try that will help clean your sink without harsh chemicals.
It’s important to remove everything from your sink for proper cleaning. Starting with an empty and clean sink is a great first step. A vinegar and baking soda cleanser can often times do the trick. Take one cup of fresh baking soda and pour into the problematic sink drain. Next pour two cups of white distilled vinegar into the same drain. Don’t be alarmed, the mixture will foam, but the foaming action will help clean the drain. Vinegar is a natural sanitizing agent and it will help break apart food particles and the buildup of grime. Baking soda will naturally neutralize odors. Believe it or not, although stinky – vinegar helps neutralize odors as well. Let the mixture sit for at least 10 – 20 minutes. Rinse the vinegar and baking soda mixture with a steady stream of cold water for about a minute.
If you have a garbage disposal, the peels of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons or limes are always great natural cleaners. Don’t ever throw out citrus peels; they can always be put into a disposal in small quantities. Adding peels to a disposal while running cold water will help add a clean, citrus scent into the air and the acids in the peels can help clean the disposal. You can even freeze the peels if you don’t need them right away.
If cleaning the smelly drain is not helping to eliminate the foul odor, you may have a clog somewhere in the pipes. Carefully snaking the drain with a hand held plumbing snake can dislodge food that sometimes gets stuck especially in the curve of the pipes. For sink drains that continue to emit foul odors, it’s always a good idea to call in the professionals from Metro Septic and Plumbing for expert advice and fair and affordable plumbing help.
