Common causes of smelly drains

As with other household problems, it helps to take a look at the causes of smelly drains. What makes the drain in particular a frequent source of unpleasant odors can be deduced from its use: In addition to waste water, foreign bodies such as hair, shampoo residue or food scraps almost automatically enter the drain during daily use. However, these particles often get stuck on their way through the drainpipe, creating an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and sooner or later causing bad odors.

In addition to deposits in the pipe, another common cause of a smelly drain is not frequent use, but rather infrequent use. If you generally use a drain infrequently or do not use it for a long period of time, water will remain in the siphon for a long time. This stagnant water can also give off unpleasant odors that you notice in your home.

The cause of the problem is rarely due to incorrect installation of the pipe systems. If you have any concerns in this regard, it is best to seek the advice of a specialist.

What can you do if the drain stinks?

Does an unused drain stink and therefore diminish your enjoyment when you return from vacation, for example? If the smell can be traced back to this cause, it is not particularly difficult to help. In most cases, rinsing with water several times is enough to solve the problem. If this measure alone does not help, you can also pour in hot water if necessary.

Do you suspect that dirt particles deposited on the pipe are causing the bad odor? In this case, the deposits must be removed to provide a lasting remedy. There are various tried-and-tested household remedies available to you for precisely this purpose, which can be used quickly and easily without a great deal of effort. Here is an overview of the most important ones.

• A classic remedy for smelly drains is the combination of baking soda and vinegar. For the best possible effect, pour around four teaspoons of baking soda into the drain. Then add about half a cup of vinegar in small quantities, leave the substances to work for about ten minutes and finally rinse with a liter of hot water. The high effectiveness of this measure is based on the chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar, the vapors of which are, however, harmful to human mucous membranes. For this reason, you should keep a sufficient distance from the drain and protect your eyes if necessary.
• One of the well-known household remedies for smelly drains is soda, which you can also pour directly into the drain. Two tablespoons left to work for half an hour will usually have a noticeable effect.
• Do you have cola in the house? The substances contained in the drink often do amazing things for a smelly drain. It is best to leave the liquid to work overnight and then simply rinse with hot water the next morning.
• Salt has proven to be effective in neutralizing odours. For a clear effect, you will need two tablespoons, which you leave to work for half an hour.

If the above drain cleaning methods are not successful, mechanical cleaning of the pipe is unavoidable. To do this, unscrew the trap, clean it preferably with a wire brush and then reattach it. A bucket under the pipe prevents water from flowing onto the floor during the cleaning process.

Your drain stinks more often: how to prevent this problem

As effective as cleaning may be, prevention is of course better than cleaning after the fact. But whether in the bathroom or in the kitchen, it is almost impossible to avoid drain contamination in everyday life. However, to avoid having to deal with the problem as rarely as possible, you can significantly reduce the risk of clogging with a simple solution: Simply use a drain strainer in which coarse dirt accumulates. If you clean this strainer every day, you have already done a lot to keep the air in your home clean.