Drain Odor? Try Digesters

Digesters can be manually or automatically dispensed into floor drains or grease traps in kitchens to remove drain odor. Huizenga says that automatic dispensing (dosing) systems are typically used in grease trap applications in kitchens.

“Typically, one application per week of approximately 6 to 8 ounces of digesters will solve the problem and keep drains clean based upon residual digesters that will create a ‘bio-slime’ that coats the sidewalls of the drainpipe,” Huizenga says. “The digesters go dormant when no food source is available and will ‘wake up’ when a food source is introduced.”

For kitchen drains, there may be a heavier concentration of enzymes and the cleaning depends on how heavily the sink is in use. Grease trap maintenance in a kitchen often requires a daily application.

“Drains are designed with a trap shooter and it’s really important that that’s kept full of water because if it evaporates, basically the only thing between the sewer and the air at the top of the drain is that U-shape, so keeping the water there is kind of like a filter,” Martini says. “It’s important that people periodically rinse water down the drain and pour enzymes down the drain, or sewer gas can get back into the space.”

Regardless of the area, when tackling a drain odor it always helps to know the source of the odor so custodians can get to the root of the problem.

“If it’s a urine smell in a restroom, let’s not assume it’s a grout problem. Let’s look at all potential areas of concern and determine a best solution,” Huizenga says. “Let your eyes and nose point you in the right direction.”

Remember, cleaning is all about chemistry and the pH scale should be a distributor’s (and custodian’s) best friend.

“Knowing the pH of the soil you are trying to clean leads you to the correct product for success,” Martini says. “When you know your soil and its related pH, you will know how to attack 99 percent of your cleaning problems.”

Keith Loria is a freelance writer based in Oakton, Va.