Maintaining And Repairing Septic Systems

Sinks are one of the most ill-used parts of any sewage system. People often wash just about anything they can find down their small holes. Is there any wonder that sinks often start smelling like sewage? Removing that sewage scent is often as simple as cleaning a few parts of the sink. However, persistent sewage scents may be a sign of more serious sewer issues.

Garbage Disposal

It's probably pretty obvious to most people that garbage disposals have a bad tendency to stink. After all, you're washing lots of food down them every day, which can lead to drain backup, food rotting, and a nasty sewage stench.

Eliminating this smell is often as easy as running hot water and a ½ cup of baking soda down the drain. This should help break up the clog and wash the food away.

Other remedies for eliminating garbage disposal smells include:

• Disposal cleaners and deodorizers
• Grinding ice
• Chopping citrus peels
• Running excessive amounts of water each time you use the disposal

Drain Trap

Drain traps hold a small level of water that prevent sewage scents from escaping your pipes. As a result, sewage scents are common if the trap water dries up or if it gets clogged.

Cleaning a drain trap requires:

• Placing a bucket under the trap
• Selecting a proper wrench and using it to unscrew the "J" section of the trap
• Carefully removing the trap and letting any gunk and filth fall into the bucket
• Prying gunk out of the trap using a screw driver or another long, thin tool
• Soaking the trap in bleach and hot water to remove the scent
• Replacing the drain trap and making sure to replace the o-ring before tightening
• Running hot water down the trap to refill it

Biofilm

Biofilm buildup is a scum that lines pipes and is caused by items such as toothpaste, soap, hand-sanitizer, hair, and other items being washed down the sink. It can create a rancid, sewage smell that can be difficult to eliminate.

Use this simple pipe cleaning method to remove biofilm from your sink pipes:

• Use rags to plug overflow holes or secondary drains
• Run steaming hot water down the drain for two minutes to break up weak film deposits.
• Pour a ½ cup of baking soda directly down the pipe, followed by ½ cup of distilled white vinegar.
• Let the mixture sit in the trap for at least five minutes.
• Rinse the pipe with a steady blast of steaming hot water.
• Wait a few days before assessing the success of this procedure. If it was successful, the sewage scent should be gone. If not, repeat until it disappears for good.

By following this simple procedure, you should get your sink smelling clean in no time. However, if that sewage scent remains, it may be time to call a sewage expert such as Lavenders Contracting Ltd., as there may be something seriously wrong with your sewage line.