What do you do when your sink drain in the kitchen is dirty? It may be clogged or smell nasty, and there are some effective solutions that will ensure it is cleaned properly.
We are going to tell you about those, and you can use these methods to clean up all kinds of drain problems and make your drain look and smell beautiful. Keep on reading to find the solution that you are looking for.
Unclog the Drain
If your sink is not draining or it smells bad, the problem could be a clog. That should be the first issue that you look for, and you may need to take off the drain cover first. You can usually remove that part of the drain with a flathead screwdriver, but some of them will need to be unscrewed.
You can also use a drain snake to dig into the drain and pull out anything that might be hiding in there. That is a much better option than trying to flush debris down further. If you attempt to push blockages down into the drain, then they may get stuck beyond your ability to pull them out. It is better to try to pull at them and remove them from the pipes rather than to push them further in and hope that they pass through.
If your kitchen sink has no drain cover, then that is part of your problem. You need some sort of grill or grating to keep large debris from falling into the drain and clogging it up. Install one as soon as possible so that you experience fewer drain clogs in the future.
Pour Drain Cleaner Down the Drain
If you have tried cleaning the drain using a drain snake or simply pulling stuck items out and you still have a problem, the next step is to use a drain cleaner. This is a specially formulated cleaning solution that is designed to be poured into the pipes and not damage them but to clear away clogs.
It is really good for getting rid of grime that is stuck to the sides of the drain so that water can flow more freely. If there is a bad smell in the drain, it could be because there is some debris stuck to the sides that is simply not washing off. Drain cleaner is more acidic than water, so it will eat away at stuck-on particles and move them quickly and efficiently.
Make sure you have good ventilation when you use drain cleaner and follow the directions on the packaging precisely. Some drain cleaners require that you rinse the drain down afterwards, and some want you to leave the drain cleaner to settle for a while before using the sink. If you obey the packaging directions, you can get the best results.
This method won’t work on solid items very well. If you have a solid blockage caused by hair or food debris, then drain cleaner may not be enough. The drain snake may be required, or you can move on to the next question in this article.
Open the Drain Pipe from Underneath
Your next option is to open the pipe up and look inside. You will have to get under the sink and detach the pipe. You may need tools to do this, but do not burst the pipe or otherwise damage it. If you are unable to open the pipe on your own, then you should call in a plumber to change it.
The part you want to open is at the bend. This bend or elbow is where most clogs will happen. Stuff that gets washed down the sink and then gets stuck will tend to do so at the bend, since there is less space to move around there. So, once you open up the pipe, you should be able to see any obstruction and simply clear it out. You may need to use the drain snake at the bend to clear away lodged obstructions that are further inside.
Use a Cleaning Service
Your next option is to call in a cleaning service. They can do a thorough cleaning of the area, tidying up the entire kitchen and making sure that your drain area is neat and sanitary. Sometimes a dirty kitchen sink drain is caused by a foul smell that emanates from under the sink or nearby. The cleaning experts will know how to make the smell go away through effective cleaning methods.
You can hire the best home cleaning in Miami and get good results, but you have to be careful about who you hire. Make sure they are going to do the work you want done and nothing less. Also ensure that you know the approximate cost upfront. This way, you can ensure you are getting a good service that will take great care of you.
Cleaning your sink so that it smells great is not always about unclogging the pipes. But even if it is, the cleaning service may take care of that for you. Some of them will use baking soda or other natural cleaners to wash down the sink and get rid of any foul smells in the vicinity. This method is a great way to eliminate odors, and a professional cleaning team will likely perform this service to remove odors if they believe it is necessary.
A Last Resort
Baking soda can be very helpful for eliminating bad smells, so if you have tried everything else we have mentioned and a smell still persists, try putting down some baking soda in the area of the sink. The baking soda will work to absorb the odors and eliminate the smell so that your sink and kitchen smell lovely again.
In some cases, there may not be a physical problem that you can deal with to get rid of bad smells, and you will need to simply deal with the odor. Baking soda is the best way to do that, and it is a natural component, so there is no risk of toxins.
