How to Get Rid of Nasty Plumbing Odours

No matter how careful you are about what goes down your drain, sometimes something slips down your drain and emits a nasty odour. 

Grease, food scraps, hair and more can get stuck in your plumbing system and begin to smell bad. That foul odour will quickly make its way up your pipes and into your home or business. 

Don’t worry, there are ways to get rid of these putrid smells. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of what causes these nasty plumbing smells and different ways that you can get rid of them.

What causes plumbing odours?

It’s important to understand what’s happening in your pipes and what is causing plumbing odours. Here are some of the main culprits:

Bacteria Growth

Your pipes have a lot of water flushed down them on a daily basis, and in that water, many other items are being washed away too. Whether it is food scraps or grease from your kitchen, or hair and soap from the shower, any of those items can get clogged in your drain. It’s the perfect place for bacteria to fester and grow.

 As this happens, you’ll start to notice a nasty odour from your drains. Sometimes, it is just evident in one room, like your kitchen. Other times, it can cause a foul smell in many rooms around your home or business.

Plumbing Flaws

In some cases, the problems stem from poor plumbing installation. This could be anything from plumbers forgetting to install key parts, like drain traps or sewage vents, to poor quality of materials used during installation.

A Clogged Drain

Unfortunately, because your pipes are hidden, it’s not always easy to know when they are getting clogged or backed up until it is too late. However, if you smell something foul coming from your drains and notice the water is draining slower or pooling in the sink, then it’s likely a clogged drain.

Sewer Gases

Disgusting smells in your drains may also be from sewer gases that make their way up your pipes. This usually only happens when your drain traps are empty. It’s also most common in drains that you don’t use often.

Mould and Mildew Growth

Mould grows where it’s dark and there is lots of moisture. This means spaces in and around your pipes are an ideal breeding ground. It’s important to have your plumbing system checked regularly for leaks or damage. If left unchecked, these leaks can cause water damage and lead to mould and mildew growth, both of which can be costly to fix.

How to Get Rid of Plumbing Odours

Understanding what may be causing the foul smell can help you decide on the best method for eliminating the odour. Here are some simple tips you can try:

Pour Boiling Water

Pouring some boiling water down your drawing can help get rid of buildup or bacteria. It can also flush away food particles that may be clinging to the inside of your pipes and slowly decaying.

This is a treatment that you can use once a week to help clear your pipes and prevent odours. However, if you’ve poured boiling water down your pipes regularly and you still notice a stench, you should call a plumber to investigate.

Use Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the most useful household items you have. It can help clean your drains and remove nasty plumbing odours. There are a couple of different ways you can use baking soda to clean your pipes.

The first is to pour about a cup of baking soda down your drain and follow it with a cup of boiling water. Flushing your pipes using this combination can clear away the smell and breakthrough the buildup.

Another way to use baking soda is to combine it with vinegar. However, this mixture will bubble up, so it’s best to dump the baking soda down the drain first and then pour the vinegar. Wait about 10 minutes, and then flush it with hot water. This bubbly mixture should be able to clear away anything causing the smell.

Use a Drain Snake

Another method you can use to get rid of the smell is to clear the clog away with a drain snake. These are the long pipe-like tools that plumbers often use to clear away big clogs.

It’s usually a collection of materials that is stuck in your pipes causing a foul smell. With a drain snake, you’ll be able to remove the debris from your pipes and throw it out, eliminating the source of the nasty odour.

However, it’s important to be careful when you use a drain snake, as it can easily scratch the inside of your pipes. This can cause damage that may lead to bigger problems and costly repairs like leaks or even flooding. So, if you feel it’s time to use a drain snake, call a professional plumber and let them do the job.

Adjust Trap Water Level

When the water in your drain traps begins to evaporate or dry up, it can allow nasty odours to make their way up your pipes. This sewer smell is more than just gross; it can also be a health hazard.

To fix this problem, pour about four cups of water into the drain. Then, pour three to four tablespoons of oil down the drain. The oil will prevent the water from evaporating too quickly. Apply this remedy every three or four months to avoid smells from creeping up into your home.

Leave It to the Professional Plumbers in Toronto

If you’re not sure what is causing the nasty odour in your plumbing, contact a professional plumber. They have the experience to quickly identify the source of the problem and address it immediately. Plumbers will have all the right tools to fix the issue and remove that nasty smell. It’s the only way to be completely sure that the underlying problem is resolved. If you opt for a DIY quick-fix, then you may be disappointed when the odour returns shortly.

For more information about plumbing services in North York, call Brothers Plumbing at 1-800-742-8471 or contact us here.