What Causes Drain Odor

• Your sink is a dark and moist place. This allows food residue to settle onto the walls of the drain, which begins to spoil and breed bacteria, leaving you with the odor. Mildew and mold are also typical culprits of kitchen sink odor, as the dark and moist space is the perfect breeding ground for bacterial growth. Your cleaning routine must break up both mold and mildew growth as well as rid the drain of any residue that has accumulated.
  
  

Plunging Your Drain

• A plunger works well for breaking up any residue that is stuck and rotting in the sink drain. Place either your household plunger or a small sink plunger over your drain openings and plunge for about 10 seconds or so. Using a sink plunger may be a bit more sanitary than using your toilet plunger, so you may want to invest a few dollars into a small sink plunger. Rinse hot water down the drain after plunging to wash away the broken-up residue.
  
  

Deodorizing the Drain

• To remove odor, pour 1 cup baking soda into your drain, then 1 cup white vinegar. The ingredients instantly foam and move down through the drain. The baking soda deodorizes the drain, and the vinegar kills any bacterial growth that may be causing the odor. Let the foam work in your drain for about 30 minutes, then flush the drain with hot water.
  
  

Professional Assistance

• Call your plumber and ask him to assist you if you cannot successfully remove the drain odor on your own. There may be buildup deep within your plumbing structure, and sometimes the problem is too large for you to fix on your own.