Curse of the Sink Stink

Few things are as frustrating to live with as unpleasant odors. Generally, the presence of an unpleasant odor is a sign of something wrong in the home. The dank and musty smell of mold is a good example. Unpleasant smells in the bathroom may indicate a problem with the plumbing lines or ventilation. This reader has a problem of another sort:

"I've got a rotten egg smell in my kitchen. I think it's something with my sink but I'm not sure. I tried using some garbage disposal cleaner but that didn't end up working. How do I fix this?"

The rotten egg smell in this case is likely caused by bacteria producing hydrogen sulfide gas. These bacteria could be growing in your sink or in your plumbing.

There are some techniques to determine where the bacteria is growing. Check the drain by filling a glass with hot water and pouring it down the drain. Step away from the sink and smell. If there isn't a sulfur smell anymore, the bacteria is in the drain.

Bacterial growth in a sink drain can be addressed very easily. Simply take a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide, available at just about any drug store, and pour it down the drain. This will kill the bacteria.

If the sulfur or rotten egg smell is only present when the hot water is on, the problem is in the water heater. If this is the case, contact a plumber to disinfect the water heater or replace the tank's magnesium node.

If both the hot and cold water smell then the problem may be outside of the home. Contact the water supplier. If the home is supplied by a well then contact the health department.