last summer we were away from our home for 5 weeks in the summer. no one was in the home or using the sinks. when we returned there was an unpleasant odour, a musty smell coming out of either side of the double kitchen sink when the drain was opened or when you put water down the drain (displacing the air inside). We tried everything we could find on the internet to de-odorize it. we took out the drain pipe, the garburator, cleaned everything and put it all back together. the smell was less, but still there. Over time, with use, it seemed to go away.

this summer, we went away again but had someone in every 5 days to put water down the drain just in case things were drying out and causing the odour. within two weeks the odour returned.

there are two goosenecks in the piping preventing any sewer like smells from coming up (anyway this is NOT a sewer gas smell).

if i was guessing, i'd think there was some kind of mold or bacteria that has worked its way into the material in the pipe or the garburator and when things dry out, it gets active.

i'm hoping someone may know what the source of this odour might be and how i might get rid of it. We don't use the garburator much any more and are considering getting rid of it but that seems like a bit of overkill.

thanks for your help.

JOhn O

fill both sides with water

add 1 cup bleach to each side

let drain slowly (push stopper aside slightly)

do not use or run water overnight (let solution 'sit')



good luck

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

thanks for your response. the manufacturers of the garburator had told us not to use bleach. we had tried vinegar, baking soda and a cleaning concoction we bought at the garburator manufacturer's suggestion. We will try the bleach as the alternative is to get rid of the garburator anyway so it doesn't matter that much if it wrecks it.



Edited 1 times.

Try grinding ice cubes with some powdered cleanser thrown in.

And some soap and pine sol to cut the grease that is smelling up the disposer.
D don't forget to remove the rubber baffle at the top and clean the bottom of the rubber baffle which collects a lot of Grease and God knows what.