Let’s admit it. A sparkling clean and great-smelling sink makes the house a lot better.

The sink is where we wash our hands and clean the dishes. It’s where we prepare some of our food while the bathroom sink is where we brush our teeth.

Sadly, most homeowners are caught off guard when the sink clogs or becomes stinky. We often wonder where the smell is coming from and what caused the clogging.

In this post, we’ll tell you the six common reasons why the sink smells. Oftentimes, the cause is related to sink clogging and the solution is often plumbing repair or kitchen and bathroom accessories installation.

Grease and oil stuck on the sink surface

We can’t deny that grease and oil are part of our diet. The most basic food like fried chicken and fried dumplings are covered with oil that can get stuck in our sink.

More than those that we buy, the food that we cook and prepare in the kitchen are often the culprit of a smelly sink and sink clogging.

When these grease and oil are stick on the inner sides of the sink plumbing pipes, they often develop into lard that stays there for a while. It’s a sticky substance where other dirt can attach, causing a smelly odor under your sink.

Food particles stuck in pipes

Since we don’t usually clean the interior part of the plumbing pipes under the sink, there’s also a tendency for food particles to get stuck inside.

When the food particles rot or decompose without leaving the pipes, they can cause a terrible smell that goes out of the sink.

Stinky sewer odor coming up

Sometimes, it’s not food or grease that causes a smelly drain.

The culprit can also be a dried p-trap under the sink. For those who don’t know it yet, the p-trap is that u-shaped thick pipe under the sink that stops the sewer gas from entering our homes. The p-trap has to remain watered so that it can trap odors coming from the sewers. 

When you don’t use your sink for a couple of weeks, the p-trap gets too dry, and the trapped odors from debris are released.

Decaying insect in the drain

It’s very difficult to catch an insect inside the house but it’s even more difficult when they hide under your sink.

Unfortunately, some insects get trapped inside the sink drain where they die and decay. If there’s a terrible smell from your sink no matter how many times you’ve cleaned it, you might need a plumber to check the pipes underneath because a decaying insect might be hidden inside.

Mold in the dark area of the sink

Different sinks are made out of different materials. Some are made of steel, some of granite, while some are of enamel. New sink designs are even made of fireclay.

Dark-colored sink materials are now getting trendy but there’s an issue with this kind of sink. You won’t notice when molds are already stuck on the surface.

When molds get stuck on the sink, they can also cause a bad odor. If you have dark-colored sink in the house, you better check thoroughly for molds that could be stuck in there because when left uncleaned, they can cause a musty or rotten smell on the sink.

Smelly water causes a stinky sink

The last of the six causes of a bad odor from the sink is smelly water. When sulfates, sewage, and chlorine bleach get mixed with the water coming into your home, they often cause a rotten egg smell or a very strong odor that irritates the nose.

Some even cause headaches and nausea. If you suspect that the bad odor from your sink is coming from the water itself, you better ask the building administrator for assistance.

There’s a chance that a plumbing pipe connected to your house is compromised.

If you encounter a foul smell on your sink, one of these six could be causing the problem. Some of these causes can be solved by cleaning the sink while some require plumbing inspection, repair, and installation.

While you inspect your sink, you may also need to check some plumbing parts of your home. Here’s a plumbing inspection checklist that we’ve prepared for you.