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Missing drain trap
A proper drain trap under your sinks or bathtub is essential if you don’t want bad smells in your home. It acts as a barrier to any fumes coming from your pipes. Ask a professional plumber to install one for you.
How do you remove odours from drains?
If you’re bothered by odours coming from your drains, there are some simple and effective ways of dealing with them.
Check the P-trap or U-bend
As we saw earlier, the U-bend or P-trap under your kitchen sink traps sewer gases. Filled with water, they form a barrier against unpleasant odours.
If, after diagnosis, you know that the stench is coming from the trap, here’s what to do:
Make sure there’s always water inside the trap. If you’re away from home for a long time or don’t use one of your taps, the pipe can dry out and let the gas through. Run a little water and the problem’s solved!
Also check that there are no leaks. If you notice drops of water or wet patches under the sink, contact a professional to seal your pipes.
It could also be a blocked drain. If so, clean the drain to unblock it. Remove the U-bend and clean it with a wire brush.
White vinegar and bicarbonate of soda
It’s a good idea to maintain your drains regularly to avoid blockages and unpleasant odours. A little routine maintenance will keep your pipes clean and working properly:
Put approximately 100g of bicarbonate of soda and 50g of salt down the drain;
Then pour in a litre of household vinegar. A chemical reaction will take place, disintegrating all the dirt;
Leave for an average of 15 minutes;
Then pour in boiled hot water;
Run cold water for a final rinse.
Boiling water
Boiling water alone may be enough to stop foul odours when the source of the problem is simply a build-up of fat inside the pipe.
Boil some water in a saucepan or kettle;
Carefully pour the water down the drain;
Wait about 5 minutes;
Turn on the high-flow cold water tap to allow any grease that sticks to the pipe to break down.
White vinegar
White vinegar can also be used on its own:
Pour a litre of white vinegar down the drain;
Leave it to work for 30 minutes;
Rinse with warm water.
Bleach
Bleach is a disinfectant that eliminates bacteria and can be used to clean your plumbing. Pour 150 ml of this product down your drain to disinfect it. Leave it for thirty minutes, then run hot water to remove any foul odour from your drains.
Use a specialised commercial cleaner
Available in powders or liquids, supermarket drain cleaners clean and unclog all plumbing systems. Use them wisely, as they contain chemical compounds and can damage your pipes over time.
How can you prevent unpleasant odours in your pipes?
To keep your plumbing clean and in good condition, the best thing to do is prevention! So avoid the formation of blockages and unpleasant odours from them. Below is a comprehensive list of recommendations:
Sanitise bathroom and kitchen drains on a weekly or monthly basis.
Rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher to prevent food residues from accumulating in the machine’s filter and clogging it.
Clean the dishwasher filter. It is connected to a drain.
Keep fats, eggshells and vegetable peelings away from your sink drain, as they can cause clogs and lead to unpleasant odours.
Avoid flossing dental floss or sanitary towels down the toilet.
Avoid leaving hair in the bath or sink. You can also use drain protectors available from specialist shops.
Pour 4 litres of boiling water down all the drains in your home once a week.
Check traps regularly.
Use deodoriser to keep your drains fresh.
When should I call a professional?
If even after several attempts to unblock your pipes and stop the unpleasant odours, you still can’t get any results, all you have to do is contact an experienced drain unblocking professional. With the right skills and specially designed equipment, he’ll find the source of your problem and put an end to it.
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