Smelly Sink: How to Naturally Clean a Stinky Drain

The sinks in your home handle a lot of jobs and sometimes what goes down there can leave a bit of a smelly residue as it goes down. 

A stinky sink can develop in any room of the house where you have drains. It happens. Perhaps a little something is left lying in the elbow of the sinks drain and the air wafting upwards is a little less than pleasant because of it. A clog or excess residue in your sink can leave your home experiencing a strange funky smell permeating throughout. Fortunately there is a simple solution for that smell coming out of your drains. Whether your problem is in the bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room in minutes you can have your drains clean and fresh again. 

If you hate using harsh chemicals in your home then this is how to clean a smelly drain using a more natural process. Kinder to your skin, appliances, and the environment, natural cleaning products are in many instances often much safer to use. Many are so natural that these common green cleaning products are likely sitting in your kitchen cupboard at this exact moment. Lemon, baking soda, green tea, and vinegar are common household cleaners and each can be used for a variety of household purposes.

 Your sinks work hard. A little maintenance will help keep them smelling fresh.


Clean your drains with baking soda and vinegar. Going natural really can be the best way to manage a tough cleaning job. Why expose your skin and home to harsh chemicals when you don't have to.
Toss aside the chemical cleaners and the deodorants and reach for baking soda and vinegar instead. Environmentally friendly household cleaners can work as well as store purchased solutions without the potentially toxic side effects.

This combo can handle many common cleaning jobs in the home and it works wonderfully for cleaning out a smelly drain. It will only takes a few minutes to have your sink smelling refreshed and clean once again. Generally one application is enough to clear out any drain odor but if you are not happy with the first results feel free to repeat the entire process if necessary. To keep your drains smelling fresh use this method about once a month as part of your basic household cleaning ritual.

This system works for both kitchen or bathroom sinks. Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into your drain. My plug tends to get moldy so it will also be cleaned and sanitized in this process. 
Pour in one cup of vinegar. Leave sit for about 5 minutes. Add more vinegar if required. Pour in a couple cups of hot or boiling water. Repeat process if required.
 Other Household Uses for Baking Soda and Vinegar

1. Throw away the toxic chemical toilet bowl cleaner. Baking soda and vinegar can be used to clean your toilets.

2. Instead of using harsh household cleaners Vinegar can be used to wash your floors, stove, and counter tops.

3. A mixture of 1 cup vinegar, a 1/2 teaspoon of dish liquid, and about 4 or 5 cups of water makes an effective glass cleaner. Put it in an empty spray bottle and use the solution to clean your windows and mirrors.

4. Baking soda absorbs scents making it ideal to freshen your refrigerator, freezer, sneakers, cat box, or dresser drawers. Don't just mask those stinky smells - remove them.

5. Use vinegar to clean your coffee pot. Add 2 cups of vinegar then fill remainder of port with water. Run this mixture through your coffee pot. Run a rinse of plain water through twice to cleanly remove any after taste of vinegar.

6. Clean your dishwasher of greasy grime by pouring one cup of vinegar into the dishwasher and allowing it to run a full cycle with just the vinegar. Do not add dishwasher detergent or dishes to this empty load.

7. Use baking soda and vinegar to clean your teapot and remove the scaly deposit from its interior. Add one 1 cup vinegar, about 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and boiling water into your teapot. Leave sit overnight. Wash and rinse the next morning.

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