There is nothing worse than the smell of rotten eggs or sewage coming from bathroom sinks. But why does my bathroom sink smell? What are the common reasons behind it, and how can I say goodbye to this issue permanently?
Well, fortunately, you’ve landed in the exact right spot as I’m here only to fix your above-written problems.
Sewer gases and countless bacteria build-up are the most common reasons behind a stinky bathroom sink. But you definitely can cast them away by taking help from boiled water, plunger, or even white vinegar will also come in handy!
But if you still notice any smell like sewage or rotten eggs, this article will help you fix them without much effort. And guess what? Most of the methods I’ve mentioned here are user-friendly and less time-consuming.
So, shall we move forward?
Probable Reasons for Stinky Bathroom Sinks
There might be so many reasons behind smelly sinks, but in my opinion, you’ll notice that kind of unpleasing smell for two main reasons.
Usually, a stinky sink is either caused by unexpected bacteria build-up or sewer gases. Sometimes, such annoying gases come up through pipes, creating an extremely bad odor.
Things to KEEP IN MIND Before Start Working on Sink
Jumping into the cleaning task won’t be a smart move when working on the sink of your bathroom. Make sure not to use any bleach along with an extra cleaning agent. Ask me why? Because it might release toxic gases and result in a severe chemical reaction.
Besides that, bleach is liable to cast the good bacteria away. But indeed, good bacteria aren’t harmful at all; it even plays an essential role in breaking the waste down in your tank.
So, What Should I Do to Stop the Bad Smell?
If you ask me, “how to stop my sink from smelling bad,” I can show you a lot of easy-peasy techniques you can apply. These are some of the common things you can use:
- Boiled water
- White vinegar
- Plunger
Method-1: Utilizing Boiled Water
When it comes to using boiled water, make sure you get a specific kettle, boil it thoroughly, and then pour a little amount of hot water down the pipe. It’s better to wait for at least 3-4 minutes.
Afterward, you’ll have to pour almost the same amount of cold water down the drain. That will aid in removing the stuck-on dirt and unpleasing odor as much as possible.
Method-2: Using Vinegar (White)
Here is another basic way of clearing your sink and getting it stink-free. Pouring a certain amount of white vinegar down to the pipe will be just fine to eliminate the bad odor, but that’s not enough!
After pouring white vinegar, you should wait for about 20 – 25 minutes, and then rinse off through lukewarm water.
Method-3: Getting a Plunger
To help you clean the stinky drain, feel free to use any plungers you get from your nearest shops. After having it, place the cup of the plunger over your sink’s drain and try to pump strenuously, at least for one whole minute or so.
By doing so, you can reduce tiny blockages. And guess what? It’s time to take help from boiled water once again! Make sure you pour a little bit of hot water down the drain to take off any residues. Wasn’t it a piece of cake?
Why Does My Bathroom Sink Smell like Sewage?
So, you probably noticed that your bathroom sink smells bad, kind of like sewage, that is! Sewer gases are liable for this type of situation since it rises through the pipe of your sink.
This worst situation might be caused by several different reasons, including dry p-trap, pipe leakage, clogging in the pipe, or even defective vent pipe.
Dry P-Trap
The p-trap indeed is a kind of curved drainpipe you’ll find underneath the sink. If you notice the pipe appears to be dry, chances are the gases might escape up the pipe. You’ll generally notice the problem in those sinks which you’re using for a long time.
To get rid of this problem, go down below and learn the following things:
- First off, you should pour no less than a quart of lukewarm water into the pipe.
- Wait for up to 30 minutes.
- After waiting for about half an hour, go back to your bathroom to see if the smell is gone or not.
- If you still notice a mild odor, you’ll have to pour the water down once again to get rid of the foul smell completely.
Pipe Leakage
Sometimes, the p-trap gets dry or nearly dry due to the pipe leakage. It’s not a house of cards to try it yourself; an expert plumber should fix it!
- Locating the joints will be your first job where the p-trap stays connected to the pipe sections underneath your bathroom sink.
- Try to put a basket underneath the p-trap to catch the water.
- Pulling down the p-trap is your next duty to keep it away from that drainpipe.
- Keep your eyes on the washer to find out rust or anything like this. If it is corroded, replacing it with a new one and reinstalling the p-trap will be your only way to go.
- Pay equal attention to the p-trap for any kinds of holes or cracks. Replacing it will be needed as well if you find it defective.
Clogging
Although I’ve added this point on list number 3, your first checking should be to find any clogs in the drain, especially if you’re noticing smell for long from your sink.
Determining whether the drainpipe of your sink is clogged or not is not that tough. You just need to turn on the tap of your sink to see whether the water flows down the drain normally or not. If not, then it’s a clear sign of clogging.
Using a specific plunger will be needed to unclog the drain. Keep reading to know the way of unclogging:
- Turn on the tap till the water covers your sink’s bottom.
- Cover the whole drain’s mouth through the plunger by placing the front end of it.
- Hold the handle, pump it strenuously numerous times. By doing that, it’s possible to reduce the number of minor blockages.
Defective Vent Pipe
Are you tired of performing all the above-written tasks, and you’ve got no positive results? The problem is probably a clog, leak, or something else is wrong with the vent pipe. Unfortunately, if this is the case, you can’t fix it yourself; you’ll have to take assistance from a professional plumber.
Why Does My Bathroom Sink Drain Smell Like Rotten Eggs?
When you notice the sink of your bathroom is smelling kind of like rotten eggs, it’s a clear sign that bacteria are building up in faucets, water heaters, or drainpipes.
Make sure you take a glass and fill it with cold water from faucets, and be sure to take another one as well to fill it with lukewarm water.
Remember, both of them should be placed outside, and don’t forget to smell them.
If you notice both are free from bad smell, then it’s probably clear that there is just an issue with drains.
On the flip side, if you notice an odor in both glasses, maybe the faucet you’ve is highly contaminated!
How to Fix the Drain System If It’s Contaminated?
Cleaning the drain system of your sink is the only way to go if you want to get rid of germ, clog, or any smells like rotten eggs.
Here, it’s necessary to collect baking soda and vinegar, which will play a significant role in getting rid of bacteria and odor. So, let’s see what you need to do:
- As for cleaning the main drainpipe, the first thing you have to do is prepare an efficient mixture of baking soda and vinegar.
- After making the mixture, feel free to pour it into the drainpipe.
- Wait for about 10-15 minutes.
- Make sure you scrub the internal part of your drainpipe as much as possible with the assistance of a cleaning brush.
- Now, you flush the drainpipe with lukewarm water, and that’s it!
Wrapping up!
This write-up on why does my bathroom sink smell has shown you almost all the probable reasons behind the stinky sink.
Not only you’ve got the information about why your sink smells bad, but here, I’ve also shown you some of the effective techniques to get rid of those smells like sewage or rotten eggs thoroughly, and finally! Thanks for being with me.