10 Lesser-Known Hacks To Stop Sink Odor

When you work hard to keep your house clean and tidy, there is nothing more frustrating than unidentifiable odors. Many times, you can trace a stinky odor back to your sink. Whether it be in the kitchen or the bathroom, smelly sinks can be the bane of many a homeowner's existence. But before you resort to harsh chemicals or calling the plumber, there are a few lesser-known hacks you should try first. And don't worry, many of these hacks require items you probably already have in your home.

Sink odor is usually caused by food or other debris decaying in your drain. Bacteria, mold, or germs put off a stinky smell, after all. There is no shortage of clever hacks on social media that stop drain odor. But if you've tried the more popular ones with no success, it's time to get a little creative. There are many popular cleaning solutions you can also use to freshen up a smelly sink, like garbage disposal drops, baking soda and vinegar, or even enzyme cleaners. But if you've tried these common cleaners and they haven't worked, maybe it's time to try some uncommon hacks, like mouthwash, hydrogen peroxide, or even denture cleaning tablets.

If you've eliminated any serious plumbing issues, like a clog, a blocked vent pipe, or low water levels in your p-traps, and your drains still stink, it's a good idea to try these cleaning hacks. You should also know that if there are smells coming from multiple drains in your home, you may want to call a plumber; this can signal a bigger issue.

Sodium borate, the main ingredient in Borax, is an alkaline substance that can neutralize fatty acids and food debris, making it effective at breaking down gunk in sinks. It's a good idea to use gloves when handling sodium borate — it can be a skin irritant. To un-stink your drains, pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of Borax with about a cup of very hot water down your drain and wait about 30 minutes. Flush your drain with hot water to rinse. Repeat if needed. You can also use Borax with ice in your garbage disposal for a similar effect.

Yes, mouthwash can help you get rid of stinky drain smells as well as freshen your breath. The same things that cause you to have stinky breath may also be the reason your kitchen sink stinks — food decay. The antibacterial properties in mouthwash can actually be effective at killing the odor-causing bacteria in your drain. Pour about a ½ cup of a cheap antibacterial mouthwash down your drain any time you notice a stinky smell. Mouthwash is a quick way to freshen your drains between deeper drain cleaning sessions.

If you know how to clean your sink drain and you're mystified as to why you still have a smelly bathroom sink, it may be the overflow drain. This little drain at the top of your bathroom sink bowl often gets overlooked during regular cleanings. After a while of being neglected, this small drain can get moldy and stinky. Try giving your overflow drain a good cleaning, and hopefully this was the culprit all along. A steam cleaner is a great way to get down inside this tight drain to get it really clean.

Like baking soda and vinegar, denture cleaning tablets have a fizzing action that can break up food and other grime in your drains. They are also formulated to disinfect, which is a benefit when you're trying to freshen your sink drains. Simply crush up one or two tablets, add them to your drain, follow with a cup of vinegar or hot water, and let sit for 30 minutes or longer. Afterward, rinse with very hot water.

Fill a pot with water, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary sprigs. Allow your simmer pot to boil for 15 to 20 minutes — you want to allow time for the citrus oils to be extracted. Cool your mixture down for approximately 30 minutes. Pour the liquid through a strainer down your sink drain (you do not want the solids to go down the sink). Not only will this mixture freshen your sink drain, but it will also make your whole house smell amazing!

Similar to Borax, soda cleaning crystals are alkaline and work well to break down grease and food debris. You will also want to use gloves when handling cleaning crystals, just to be on the safe side. Pour a cup of cleaning crystals down your sink and add some hot water; allow to sit for 10 minutes or overnight if you want. Once the time has passed, pour hot water down the drain to rinse away debris and odor.

The same reason liquid dish soap is great for washing dishes is why it can clean your sink drain and get it smelling fresh. Dish soap removes grease and food particles that can cause odor in your drain. A simple hot water flush method will work. Flush your drain with very hot water, add about 1 cup of liquid dish soap, and allow to sit for about 20 minutes. Once the soap has had time to break up the grease and food, rinse again with very hot water. Your drains should smell much better after doing this.

Like your overflow drain, sink aerators can be an unsuspected cause of sink odor. If you have hard water, your sink aerator is likely filled with deposits and grime, which can harbor bacteria and cause odor. First, plug your sink (so parts don't end up down your drain). You can easily unscrew the aerator, place it in a bowl with vinegar, and let it soak. After about 30 minutes of soaking, scrub with a cleaning brush to get it really clean. Rinse everything with water, and reattach it to your faucet.

That rubber gasket with flaps at the entry of your drain is a splash guard for your garbage disposal. It's also a place where food particles and slimy grime can hide. This can be a culprit of sink odor. Thankfully, it's easy to clean. Turn off power to your garbage disposal — we don't want any Final Destination moments. Pull the gasket off the drain, scrub with a brush and dish soap, rinse with hot water, and push it back into place. If it's exceptionally slimy, you can soak it in hot water and soap.

Hydrogen peroxide is another antibacterial agent that can help eliminate odors from your sinks. Pour 1 cup of 3% hydrogen into your drain, and allow it to sit for 10 to 20 minutes to give it time to kill odor-causing bacteria. Then, rinse the sink and drain with hot water. It's a handy solution that is most likely already in your medicine cabinet.