How to Clean Kitchen Sink Drains
Just because you've gotten your kitchen sink clean and fresh doesn't mean you've gotten rid of all the bacteria and buildup. Down there in your kitchen drain are all kinds of unpleasant things, including germs and odors. That's because all the grease, food, and other stuff you wash off your dishes and cookware have to go somewhere.
When you know how to clean your kitchen sink drains the right way, you can reduce the amount of buildup that causes odors and germs. All you need is some baking soda, distilled white vinegar, a lemon, and some hot water. Here's how you do it:
- Boil two quarts of water.
- Using oven mitts, slowly pour the boiling water down the drain.
- Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain.
- Rinse the sink and drain thoroughly with hot water from the sink.
- For extra odor-fighting, pour lemon juice or distilled white vinegar down the drain.
- After 30 minutes, rinse the sink and drain.
For kitchen drains that haven't been cleaned in a while, you may need a little more firepower. Consider using a
bio-friendly drain cleaner to break down the buildup in the drain. The natural enzymes in bio-friendly cleaners help remove residue from grease, soap, and food debris without using toxic chemicals. Many of these cleaners can take up to 24 hours to get the job done, but the payoff is fresh, smooth-running drains and less odor and bacteria.
How To Clean a Garbage Disposal
If you have a garbage disposal, you need to clean it regularly, just like the kitchen sink and drain. Even with a clean drain, grease, grime, and food debris can cause lingering odors and germs to accumulate on the blades, baffle, and other parts of a garbage disposal. To get your kitchen sink truly clean, it's time to learn how to clean a garbage disposal and keep it that way.
A clean garbage disposal also means clearer drain pipes, so cleaning it regularly reduces the chance for that nasty buildup. Cleaning your garbage disposal about once a week should do the job, but if you smell lingering odors, you know it's time for a cleaning. Follow these steps to keep your garbage disposal and your drains clean:
Weekly cleaning can keep the garbage disposal clean and odor free.
- Turn off the power to prevent the disposal from turning on while you're cleaning it.
- As an extra precaution, unplug the disposal if possible.
- Use dish soap and an abrasive sponge to scrub the underside and folds of the baffle.
- Rinse the sink and spray any debris down the drain.
- Use your scrub sponge and dish soap to scrub around the top part of the grinding chamber, rinsing frequently.
- Pour baking soda into the garbage disposal and let it sit for five minutes to absorb lingering odors.
- Rinse the sink, drain, and garbage disposal thoroughly.
For regular cleaning maintenance, lemon, kosher salt, and ice do a superb job of preventing buildup, odors, and bacteria. Cut up a lemon and drop it into the garbage disposal with two cups of ice and two tablespoons of kosher salt. Turn on the cold water and the garbage disposal and listen to the beautiful sound of buildup and odors being scrubbed away.
Now that you know how to clean a kitchen sink, drain, and garbage disposal, don't stop there. We've got tons of
housekeeping and cleaning resources to help you keep your home cleaner and healthier. Whether you use our professional cleaning guides or our popular residential
cleaning services, we want to make every home a cleaner, healthier place to live. Learn more about flexible, affordable cleaning and disinfecting when you
get your free estimate online.
SHOW LESS
