If unusual odors are filling your home and you can’t pinpoint their origin, you might want to investigate the plumbing. A dirty, clogged drain is a rapid method for unpleasant odors and potentially harmful bacteria to spread throughout your home. Organic buildup, blockages, and odors are common problems in kitchen and bathroom sink drains. This is because most water flow and waste are transported via these drains.
Causes of Clogged Drains
Although indoor plumbing is a standard feature in all homes, it still comes with some downsides., and clogged drains are one of them. The bright side is that problems, even persistent ones, can be fixed and avoided in the future through proper troubleshooting. However, before we can get there, we need to examine the root of the problem: why drains become clogged.
- Soap scum inside drain pipes is a common cause of bathroom clogs because it attracts debris like dirt, skin flakes, and hair. This sediment builds up over time, restricting water flow.
- There’s nothing pleasant about dealing with a clogged toilet. Things like feminine hygiene products and plastic bags are common culprits when people try flushing them down the toilet: items like cotton swabs, dental floss, and wet baby wipes
- When oil or grease from cooking solidifies inside the drain pipes, it backs up into kitchen sinks. When you combine soap scum with undissolved food particles (like rice, which increases in water), you get a thick, sticky obstruction.
The water drains out of the pipe and is replaced by air during the venting process. It’s like putting a straw in a glass of water and expecting the water to flow through the straw. It is possible to create a vacuum by covering the straw’s open end with your finger, preventing air from entering the straw.
When you remove the straw from the glass, the liquid inside will remain trapped unless you lift your finger. Water and waste will exit the vent correctly with sufficient airflow.
When you flush your toilet, water will whirl around and quickly drain. A gurgling sound from the sink after a toilet flush indicates that not enough air is getting through the venting. Another thing to remember is that sewer gasses can’t accumulate to potentially harmful levels within your home unless venting is done incorrectly.
How to Clean Your Drains
It’s annoying when the sink or shower takes forever to drain. We’ve all experienced the terror that comes with a toilet that won’t flush quickly enough. Here are some tips for keeping your home’s drains clean and working correctly to prevent any of that from happening.
Steps to Cleaning Your Drains at Home
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Take Away Potential Drain Blockages
A buildup or clog is usually to blame when a sink, shower, or toilet drains slowly. Taking care of potential obstructions is the first order of business before cleaning a drain.
The typical plunger in any grocery or hardware shop will do the trick. For this, you need a bellows-style plunger. Plungers have more than one use besides the toilet.
Simply add enough water to the sink or tub to cover the drain. Pour some water down the drain and then push the plunger down on top of it to make a seal. Once the water level rises, the drain can be unclogged using a series of rapid pumps.
Don’t forget that if your sink has two bowls, you’ll need to plug up both drains to ensure a watertight seal.
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Eliminate Putrid Smells
Now that the buildup in your drains has been removed, you can clean your home and eliminate any unpleasant odors. There are several easy options to consider:
First, combine equal parts vinegar, baking soda, and hot water.
This mixture removes smells and other organic debris like grease and bacteria. The same principle applies to avoiding the clogging of drains in the future.
Put half a cup of baking soda and white vinegar down the drain. Then, after 15 minutes, remove the cover from the drain opening. When you’re done, it’s time to give the drain a good cleaning with some hot water.
Use a solution of baking soda and vinegar to clean your faucets and drains of mineral deposits and bacteria.
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Use A Natural Cleaner
Instead of using chemical cleaners, you may try a biological one specially designed to remove germs and other pathogens while also cleaning the surface. They effectively prevent the growth of hazardous germs and mold in your drains and keep them smelling fresh.
Zep and Citra-Drain are two of the market’s top enzymatic/biological drain cleaners. Both of these are harmless to people and the planet. These natural cleaners are ideal for homes that use septic tanks.
Ice, Salt, And Lemon To Clean The Garbage Disposal
The garbage disposal is an additional drain in the average home that rarely gets any attention. In this way, it becomes one of the house’s primary sources of unpleasant scents.
If your garbage disposal is otherwise functional but emits an unpleasant odor, try running ice, salt, and lemon peels through it.
Put the peels of one lemon, a fistful of coarse salt, and a few cups of ice into the garbage disposal. Put everything in a blender and pulse for a few seconds before rinsing. Worry not, and the steel grinders are impervious to the icy conditions.
How to Avoid Future Drainage Problems
If you want to avoid drain clogs for the foreseeable future, try these tried-and-true methods:
Install drain guards
These fixtures let liquids and tiny debris slide down your drain with ease. However, they prevent debris like hair and food scraps from getting through. Shower, tub, and sink drains all benefit from installing drain screens.
Do not put grease down the drain.
The grease left to sit in the drain will solidify and cause a clog. Even worse, grease can clog sewers. Before putting them in the dishwasher, oily dishes should be wiped with a paper towel. When washing oily dishes, make sure to use ample amounts of hot water and detergent.
Make sure your drains and stoppers are serviced regularly.
Strive for consistent drain maintenance to avoid clogging. Once a week, flush your drain with a few buckets of hot water. The stoppers on your sinks probably collect dirt, hair, and other debris and should be cleaned regularly.
Speak With Your Local Sewer and Drain Cleaning in Everett
Do you need expert drain cleaning services in Everett? You can reach out to us today at N.W. Sewer and Drain. We’re excited to help you sort out any drain issues you might be facing in your home or office building. Ideally, consulting an experienced local sewer and drain cleaning company should be your next action if you are experiencing slow-moving drains, foul odor, or clogged drains in your home and don’t know what else to do.
At N.W. Sewer & Drain, we have a well-trained and ready-to-move team on standby. We serve the Seattle metropolitan area, including Bellevue, Kirkland, Shoreline, Renton, Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace, Auburn, Everett, Marysville, Mount Vernon, and other surrounding areas.
N.W. Sewer & Drain provides top-notch drain cleaning and sewer repair services in the greater Seattle area, and we’ve been in the business for nearly 20 years. Contact us today at 206-931-7728 to schedule an inspection of your sewer line and pipes.