Kitchen Sink Smells like Rotten Eggs, Mildew, And Sewage

Why does my kitchen sink smell? Here is why the drain smells like rotten eggs, sewage, or mildew.

One of the grossest smells to perceive in a kitchen is the sewage smell with its signature rotten egg odor. It’s necessary to swing into action when such awful odor is perceived.

However, knowing just what to do is hinged on first identifying the cause(s) of the smell. So, does your kitchen sink smell like rotten eggs or sewage?

Why Does My Kitchen Smell Like Rotten Eggs, Mildew, Sewage?

Here, you’ll learn all there is to know about such conditions.

We’ll be looking at the different possible causes as well as discuss ways to resolve the problem. The earlier kitchen or bathroom sink odor problem is resolved the better.

Plus, you don’t want to get exposed to sewage gases as they’re highly toxic.

It’s always Due to a Malfunction

Certain odors in the kitchen sink signal danger. Ordinarily, sewage smell which is similar to rotten egg odor shouldn’t be perceived in kitchen sinks.

It’s unnatural and a clear sign of malfunction. When this problem isn’t addressed immediately, it leads to further issues that could further worsen the condition of your drainage system.

Possible Causes of Smelly Kitchen Sinks

If your kitchen sink smells of sewage or rotten eggs or has a musty odor occasioned by the presence of mildew, it’s a clear sign that the cause(s) have to be identified.

Now, different possible scenarios lead to smelly sinks. These include the absence of drain traps as well as a dried trap.

Other possible causes of awful smelling kitchen sinks include a clogged plumbing vent, congealed grease as well as filthy garbage disposal. Sewer gases could also escape due to leaky U-trap.

With all of these likely causes mentioned, let’s discuss each briefly for a better understanding of what’s involved.

• Absence of Drain Traps

A kitchen sink having no drain trap provisions will always smell of sewer gases.

This is mostly the case when an installation job is performed by a non-professional. Drain traps are designed to block sewer gas leaks into your home through the kitchen sink and other drainage points.

With the absence of these vital traps, there’s nothing stopping sewage gases from leaking out. This is a possible reason why you perceive awful rotten egg smells.

Under such circumstances, your best bet will be to correct the errors made by installing a drain trap. This is only recommended for kitchen sinks without drain traps.

• Dried Trap

A kitchen sink having a drain trap is no guarantee that it won’t get smelly at some point. When optimal conditions necessary for its smooth functioning aren’t met, it’s common to have malfunctioned.

This is seen in a kitchen sink with a dried trap. Here, the water barrier in its u-shaped trap is dried.

With constant use, there should be no cases of a dried trap as water is always poured down the drain. However, problems arise when the kitchen sink hasn’t been used for long.

During this period, the water dries up leading to the absence of a barrier that blocks sewage gases from escaping.

This is a possible reason why you perceive the rotten egg smell coming from your kitchen sink. This type of problem isn’t difficult to fix as all you have to do is run some water to refill the trap.

With the water seal replenished, you shouldn’t perceive any more smells from your kitchen sink.

• Clogged Plumbing Vent

A clogged plumbing vent could be the primary cause of your kitchen sink smelling like rotten eggs. This creates a situation where the normal pathway for sewer gas escape is blocked.

Because sewer gas needs to be released, it’s backed up through different exit points including your kitchen sink.

You might experience gurgling sounds whenever water is poured down the sink. So, what leads to a clogged plumbing vent? There are different possible explanations.

Some of the most common causes of plumbing vent obstructions include birds nests, debris accumulation, and animals getting stuck and dying within the vent.

The easiest way to resolve this problem will be to have the plumbing vent unclogged. Simply remove whatever it is that blocks the vent.

To prevent future occurrences, have a vent screen installed to prevent debris from getting in and birds from nesting.

• Congealed Grease

It’s never a good idea to have grease poured down your drain. One of the likely issues that might result is grease congealing and getting stuck within your drains.

Decomposition of such grease leads to a situation where odor is released into your home through the sink.

If you’ve poured down some significant amount of grease into your drain, you might want to take urgent steps to remedy the problem.

One of the ways to resolve this issue is by adding some baking soda down your drain (this serves the purpose of deodorization).

This should be followed by some vinegar and finally hot water to melt and flush away any congealed grease. With these procedures, the smell from your drain should be eliminated.

• Filthy Garbage Disposal

Filthy garbage disposal could be part of the reasons why your kitchen sink is smelly. So, how is garbage disposal filthy?

Whenever you grind pieces of food down your drain, some of it gets stuck on the garbage disposal blades. This gets slowly decomposed with a rotten or musty smell resulting.

You’ll have to make some adjustments to the way you use your garbage disposal. After each use, have some water running down your drains for a few seconds before turning off the garbage disposal.

This helps rinse any stuck food on disposal blades.

In circumstances where you want to dislodge existing food stuck on the blades, you might have to pour in some ice cubes. These will do a great job of cleaning up your blades.

• Leaky Drain Trap

Sometimes, leaky drain traps could turn out to be the cause of your kitchen sink smelling like sewage or rotten eggs. Instead of a trapped water barrier serving to prevent sewer gas escape, a leaky drain trap allows for the easy escape of sewer gases.

Fixing this problem will require the help of a professional plumber. Plumbers perform all sorts of maintenance jobs including fixing or replacing leaky drain pipes.

A smelly kitchen sink doesn’t have to be endured. With the possible causes identified and remedies proffered, you should have an odor-free kitchen sink.