Picture this; you are in your kitchen making a cup of coffee or whipping up a sumptuous meal, then all of a sudden, you catch a whiff of a not-so-good smell. You pay more attention, and it appears to be coming from your sink.
Of course, you want to mitigate that as soon as possible, but you don’t know what to do. Worry not because this article is dedicated to helping you eliminate that chemical smell from your kitchen. But before we get into the possible solutions, let’s find out what the smell could mean and why it is there in the first place.
Potential Reasons why there’s a Chemical Smell Under your Kitchen Sink
Your Garbage Disposal is not Working Properly
A garbage disposal is a machine that grinds food waste, including bones and other tough materials, into small pieces of dry, non-toxic material called “crushables.” If the motor isn’t working properly, the contents of your sink will be filling up and probably emitting a chemical smell.
The drain in your sink is clogged
The drain in your kitchen sink collects hair, grease, and other debris, along with water, when you run it to wash dishes or prepare food. When this drain gets clogged, it can cause a chemical smell under the kitchen sink.
You have an air leak in the plumbing system
The most common reason for a chemical smell under your kitchen sink is the presence of an air leak in your drainage system. This can be caused by a number of things, including loose fixtures and cracked pipes, but the most common reason is because you have an air trap between the drain and the sink.
The Chemical Smell Can be Dangerous!
It is important to understand that a chemical smell under your sink is not normal, and it could be dangerous. One of the main reasons it could be happening is because there is a chemical reaction in your sewer lines, and if that is the case, you need to have it checked professionally.
Ways to Get Rid of the Chemical Smell
There are several ways to remove chemical smell under the kitchen sink. Here are some of them.
Baking Soda and Hot Water
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get rid of an unpleasant smell from under your kitchen sink, baking soda and hot water work quite well.
This is because baking soda is an odor-neutralizer and it works by absorbing bad odors in your sink. To clean under your kitchen sink, mix one cup of baking soda with two cups of hot water. Fill a bucket with this mixture and set it on top of your kitchen counter, where you’ll be able to easily reach it later on.
Once the bucket is full, pour the solution into your sink drain until it covers all of the smells that are coming from there.
Lemon Juice
Another way to get rid of the smell under your kitchen sink involves pouring a cup of lemon juice down the drain. The acidity in the lemon juice will kill any bacteria that may be present, and it can also neutralize the smell.
You should pour about a cup of lemon juice into a bucket with warm water and then pour the solution down the drain, preferably overnight. The next morning, you’ll have all the odor-causing bacteria gone from your pipes.
Run Water down the Drain
If your home has a functional garbage disposal but you still have an odor originating from your sink, it may be time to take a look at the drain itself. Start by running hot water down the drain for about five minutes straight until all of the gunk in there has been washed away by the water pressure.
After that, you want to use a cloth or something similar to wipe down any remaining grime from inside and around the drain opening itself. Don’t use anything abrasive or sharp.
Turn the Garbage Disposal on and Let It Run
You could also turn on your garbage disposal and let it run. The waste will be forced down into the drain, where it can be collected by a trap.
If your sink is connected to an outside hose that connects directly to the drain, you can use a bucket to collect all of the food waste until the trap has filled up with water and is ready for removal.
If you have a septic system, you’ll need to wait until the tank fills up with water before removing it from your home. This can take several days or even weeks, depending on how much rainwater has accumulated in your tank and how far away from it it’s located.
Pour White Vinegar
Vinegar is a great way to remove smells from your drains. It also has natural antibacterial properties and can help keep drains clean. To use vinegar, pour 1 cup of white vinegar into your sink and fill it with hot water. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, then drain the water and refill it with clean water. Repeat this process several times over the course of a week to see if the smell goes away.
If you’re still having issues with odors coming from your kitchen sink, try adding baking soda to the vinegar solution to get rid of any odor left behind in the pipes. If there’s still an odor after that step, consider calling an expert who can help you fix any plumbing problems in your home.
Use Drain Cleaner
You can also use a drain cleaner to get rid of the smell under your sink. You may want to start by removing the drain trap from your sink and running some hot water down it. Use a sponge or rag to wipe away any grime that’s in the sink, and then let it sit for about an hour.
You can then pour a small amount of drain cleaner into the sink, along with water, and let it sit for about five minutes before wiping away any remnants with a sponge or rag again. Once you’ve done this, run some hot water down the drain once again and see if there is still an odor coming from your sink. If so, repeat this process until no more odor remains.