Say goodbye to a smelly kitchen sink with these simple hacks

Nobody likes a smelly sink! Unfortunately, stinky kitchen drains are an all too common household nuisance, and sometimes boiling water and detergent just doesn’t cut it.

To save any unnecessary hassle, Starts at 60 have done the hard work for you and scoured the web to find the best sink-cleaning tips, and we’ve found some winners. The best part is, they don’t involve using any harsh chemicals.

Ice cubes, rock salt and lemon peels

If your sink has a disposal unit, we’d recommend chucking some ice cubes, a handful of rock salt and lemon peels down the garbage disposal. Repeat a few times to flush out the smell  and voila your kitchen sink will be brand new in no time. The ice cubes help knock food off the grinder and the salt scrubs the insides. Meanwhile the lemon peels add a fresh citrus scent.

Vinegar and lemon ice cubes

If you’re still getting a funky smell, trying freezing some lemon wedges in white vinegar in an ice cube tray. Throw the ice cubes down the disposable unit and follow with running water. The white vinegar will help break down any food and grease stuck inside the garbage disposable.

Rock salt, bi-carb soda and white vinegar

Another popular tip making the rounds includes pouring half a cup of rock salt down the drain, followed by half a cup of bi-carb soda and one cup of white vinegar. The combination of salt, bi-carb and vinegar works wonders. We would recommend finishing off the combo with a kettle of boiling water.

Bi-carb soda, essential oils and boiling water

Essential oils can also be extremely useful for cleaning. Combine bi-carb soda with a few drops of your favourite essential oil and pour down the drain. Let it sit for about 20 minutes before following with a kettle of boiling water.

How to prevent drain odour

To prevent your sink from getting smelly, there’s a few easy things you can do. Firstly, avoid pouring fat or grease down the drain. If you don’t already have one, place a drain screener over your plughole to stop big pieces of food falling down. We’d also recommend pouring baking soda and boiling water down your drain about once a week.