Have you started noticing foul odors coming from your drains? If you have, it's probably time to have them cleaned. Things like hair, food, human waste and bacteria can build up inside your drains. Over time, those deposits can start creating foul odors that can seep right into your home. To keep your drains cleaned and to help prevent odors, you should have them professionally cleaned at least once a year. There are also a few preventative measures that will help reduce odors in between the professional cleanings.
Clean With Lemon Juice And Ice
Your garbage disposal is one of the main culprits when it comes to drain odors. Food gets stuck under the blades and rots. After a while, you'll start smelling odors from the kitchen sink. A weekly dose of crushed ice and lemon juice will take care of the problem for you. Drop a cupful of crushed ice into the garbage disposal and add about a ¼ cup of lemon juice. Run the garbage disposal for about 1 minute. Your disposal will stay clean and fresh.
Deodorize With Liquid Bleach
You might not think that your shower drain would create odors. Unfortunately, you'd be wrong. Hair and body oils get caked onto the inside of your shower drains. Eventually, those deposits will start to smell. They'll also start to breed bacteria. You can break up the deposits and kill the bacteria by using liquid bleach.
Pour about ¾ cup of liquid bleach down your shower drain and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. Run the hot water for about a minute to flush the debris through the drains. It's important to note that if you have a septic tank, you shouldn't pour bleach down the drain. Bleach can kill the bacteria that your septic tank needs to properly decompose food and waste.
Keep It Flowing With Rock Salt
Toilets are another place where foul odors can build up. Each time you flush the toilet, small particles of fecal matter and toilet paper get deposited along the sides of the drain pipes. Those deposits can cause gasses to build up that will fill your bathroom with foul odors. You can reduce the odors and keep your toilet drains clean by including rock salt in your monthly cleaning routine.
Pour ¾ cup of rock salt in the toilet once a month and flush. Rock salt will eat away and destroy any debris that's inside the drains. For added freshening power, add a ¼ cup of lemon juice to the toilet once a day.
To reduce odors, you should have professional drain cleaning at least once a year. It's also important that you perform routine maintenance in between the professional cleanings. Use the simple tips provided above to keep your drains clean and your home smelling fresh.
Share5 October 2015
When you get a clogged drain or a toilet that just won't flush, do you reach for the phone and call for a plumber? When you have these seemingly simple plumbing problems around your house, you have to make a decision quickly. Do you pay for someone to come out and make the repairs, or do you attempt the repair on your own? This blog is all about DIY plumbing repairs. You will learn the basics and find tips for when to cut your losses and call in for professional assistance so you don't make a small fix one that needs serious repairs.
