What to do about a smelly drain on the North Shore

Is a smelly drain around your home making it hard to do your household chores unless heavily armed with air freshener? Don’t worry, this is a common problem in many Australian homes and can be easily fixed with the right advice or professional help.

There are numerous reasons why a household drain can start to smell. Drains that aren’t used regularly, such as the laundry or toilet, can dry up resulting in an odour escaping from the u-bend. Shower drains are notorious for hair, skin, soap and other debris causing a blockage that releases a smell which left unchecked, could put your son’s dirty footy socks to shame!

There are several quick-fix techniques you can try to help rid your smelly drains of odours in the short-term, but if you are looking for a long-term solution it is worth investing in a professional plumbing service, like us – the team at Tai Irwin Plumbing.

SHORT-TERM DRAIN CLEANING SOLUTIONS

There are many over-the-counter drain cleaning solutions for both your internal and external drains to help flush these out and get rid of odours, if you don’t like to get your hands dirty. To save you time and money try making your own drain cleaner at home for a non-toxic and environmentally friendly alternative.

For those who don’t mind manual tasks, you can clean your floor drains by hand, such as the laundry or shower, by removing the grate and scooping out any build-up, before flushing the smelly drain with warm water.

Sink drains, such as the bathroom, kitchen or laundry, are a little more difficult to clean manually, as you have to unscrew the u-bend and find something to push through the pipe to release the blockage. You can try using an auger for this task, otherwise known as a snake, which flexes, enabling it to contour to the pipe and help release any minor blockages (this can be quite difficult if the drain is heavily blocked, and may require professional assistance).

LONG-TERM DRAIN CLEANING SOLUTIONS

While short-term internal and external drain cleaning solutions are often quite affective, these must be maintained regularly, and are often time consuming and not the most pleasant jobs to undertake.

To avoid floor drain blockages in the long-term, your local plumber can apply a connection, such as a Drain Mate®, which can be fitted through the mouth of your drain and the drain cover re-attached, effectively filtering any debris and trapping the odour inside.

For major blockages that have developed in the sink drains of your bathroom, laundry or kitchen, it is worth investing in an experienced plumber. Plumbers have specialised equipment to remove even the most stubborn debris which has built up in your internal and external drains.

To clear smelly drains outside your home in the long-term, plumbers will use a CCTV system with a camera attached. Once they locate the blockage, which can often be tree roots in the sewer, they will generally use a water jet to flush these out.

So call your local drainage specialists, Tai Irwin Plumbing. We can tackle all of your smelly drain concerns quickly and efficiently. If you prefer to leave the job to the professionals, call us now on 02 9986 1880.