Kitchen Sink Smells or Drains Slowly? Start at the Drain Opening

A kitchen sink that drains slowly or gives off a sour smell is one of those problems that creeps up on you. It's usually not a plumbing emergency. Most of the time it comes down to what goes into the drain every day, and what the drain opening does (or doesn't) stop.

Here's what's usually behind it, the habits that help, and a simple upgrade at the drain itself.

Why kitchen drains clog and smell

Kitchen drains deal with a mix that bathroom drains don't: food scraps, grease and soap.

• Food scraps: rice, grounds, peels and pasta collect in the pipe bends and trap more debris over time.
• Grease and oil: warm grease runs down as a liquid, then cools and sticks to the pipe walls, where it catches everything else.
• Buildup in the trap: the U-shaped pipe under the sink holds a little water to block sewer gas. When food and grease collect there, they start to break down, and that's often where the smell comes from.

Everyday habits that help

• Scrape plates into the bin before rinsing them.
• Let cooking grease cool and throw it out in the trash instead of pouring it down the drain.
• Run water for a few seconds after using the sink so debris doesn't sit in the pipe.
• Empty the sink strainer after cooking instead of letting scraps sit wet overnight.

None of these take much effort, but together they keep most of what causes clogs out of the pipe.

The part people overlook: the drain opening

Most of what causes a clog enters through one spot, the drain opening. A lot of sinks still use a basic basket strainer with wide holes and a loose rubber plug. Small scraps slip straight through, and the plug rarely seals well enough to hold water.

A better strainer at the opening is the easiest place to stop the problem early.

What a pop-up strainer does differently

Our Pop-Up Kitchen Sink Strainer and Stopper combines three jobs in one piece:

• Strainer: a slotted 304 stainless steel basket catches food scraps. Lift it out by the handle to empty it.
• Stopper: press the cap to seal the drain and fill the sink, press again to drain it.
• Seal: a silicone ring under the cap helps keep drain smells in the pipe when the drain is closed.

How to check it will fit

It's designed for standard US kitchen sink drains. Measure your drain opening before ordering:

• Width: 75–87 mm (2.95–3.42 in)
• Depth: at least 37 mm (1.46 in)

If your sink has a garbage disposal, check the measurements carefully, since disposal flanges vary.

When to call a plumber instead

A strainer prevents new buildup. It won't clear a clog that's already deep in the pipe. Call a plumber if:

• the sink barely drains at all, even after you clear the strainer,
• water backs up into the other side of a double sink or into the dishwasher,
• you smell sewage that doesn't go away, or
• you see leaks under the sink.

Once the pipe is clear, a good strainer and a few habits help keep it that way.

The short version

Keep grease and food out of the drain, empty the strainer often, and use a strainer that actually catches scraps and seals the drain when you need it to.