How to Clean Smelly Drains

Got a blocked drain or a drain with feral breath? It happens.

The kitchen is usually the worst culprit with small scraps of food getting caught. Really, drains are like mouths, if food gets caught, it starts to rot and causes bad breath.

We can tell you how to clean smelly drains before going to the expense of getting a plumber in.

Things you will need:

• 2 cups of bicarb
• 2 cups of white vinegar
• a kettle full of freshly boiled water

Directions:

1. Place one cup of bicarb into the sink. Do it slowly so some goes down the drain; some will sit in the plug hole and that’s fine.

2. Get one cup of white vinegar and pour onto the bicarb. Be careful you don’t breathe in the fumes as they can be quite strong.

3. Let the sink bubble for 20 minutes or so. Pour the jug full of boiling water down the drain. Wait for 20 minutes and repeat with the remaining bicarb and vinegar.

If your drain is STILL stinky, then you will need to remove the S-bend and give it a good clean out. If you’re not confident to do this, please call a plumber!

 How do you clean your stinky drains?

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

See Full Bio