Odor Control Tips For Smelly Kitchen Drains and Waste Receptacles

I clean a school and there are smelly kitchen drains and waste receptacles. What can I do?

Clean the waste receptacles on a regular basis with a disinfectant or bleach product. If odors persist, you should implement a drain maintenance program, which includes a biological product. It’s also important to make sure the drains are kept wet and are not drying out. That may also lead to foul odors and outgassing.
— Jason Welch, Microbiologist, Spartan Chemical Company, Inc., Maumee, Ohio


Despite multiple intense washings and scrubbings, it remains hard to control odors in school cafeterias. Thusly, many schools and universities turn to scented cleaners and odor management systems that use a mixture of toxic chemicals to mask foul smells. However, we believe these chemicals should not be near the food students (and faculty members) eat on a daily basis.
 
There are eco-friendly odor management products that are 100 percent toxin-free, and get the job done safely and effectively. These efforts will pay off by a creating safe and healthy environment for learning.
— Amanda Daluga, National Sales Director at OMI Industries, Long Grove, Ill.


The root cause of the odor can depend on the facility. In foodservice, a common cause is the buildup of fats, oils and grease in the drain. In other segments, the culprit can be a combination of mildewing dirt and hair debris and a buildup of a bacteria-filled slime layer (biofilm) on the sides of the drainpipe. As water rushes past the biofilm and debris, odor-causing molecules dislodge and drift up out of the drain into your nose.

There are foaming drain maintainers that can be used nightly as well. These foaming enzymes and/or live bacteria products can be used daily. The foam allows for a longer dwell time around the drain and then assist in moving the enzymes and live bacteria through drain itself. As the foam turns into liquid, the foam has set-up the path for the enzymes around the entire circumference of the drain line. This will eat at odor causing bacteria. As an added bonus, maintaining your drains in such away eliminates the food source for pests — such as barflies.

There are also mechanical wall mount units that improve drain flow by dispensing continuous amounts of enzymes, antimicrobials that eat fats, oils, and grease. Look for solutions that are safe for all pipes, grease traps and sewers.

Waste receptacles can be cleaned with a good general purpose cleaner, a scrub brush and a hose/water.
— Jarret Chirafisi, Product Manager – Air & Hand Care, Amrep, Inc., Marietta, Ga.


A proper drain cleaning and sanitizing procedure will not only help with odors, but will also help control pathogens related to foodborne illnesses in food preparation areas. For waste receptacles, odors often remain within the receptacle after the liner is removed. Again, an effective cleaning and sanitizing procedure is recommended.
— Nicole Livingston, R&D Technical Manager, Rochester Midland, Rochester, N.Y.