5 minutes, 2 ingredients and this simple tip to banish stinky drains

All you need is lemon juice and baking soda for this super simple drain cleaning hack.

Your kitchen sink gets a lot of action over the course of just a few days - from to dirty pots and pans to leftover food and drink. It's no surprise that they can start to get a bit stinky from time to time, but when kitchen drains start to smell, it can be hard to shift that odor. And while you might be tempted to put the chore off if you've got a busy schedule, leave it long enough and that smell might start to spread around the house.

Luckily for you, we're always on the hunt for Mrs Hinch cleaning tips and other ways to keep your home sparkling, and we've come across one drain cleaning hack that takes just five minutes, and only needs two ingredients. Unlike cleaning the oven or cleaning the dishwasher, you hardly need to set aside any time to tackle this household chore. 

Cleaning experts Clean Mama shared this tip on Instagram, and it's super easy to follow. All you need to do is mix lemon juice and baking soda, pour it down the drain and leave to sit for five minutes. Then, run cold water down the drain, give the interior a scrub, and admire your clean, stink-free sink - that's it!

Clean Mama have plenty more helpful leaning tips on their Instagram and on their blog too, from more home cleaning hangs to organizing tips, decluttering, laundry and DIY cleaning products too.

How to clean your kitchen drain

1. Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh or from a jar). Make sure to do this over the sink, as the liquid will start to fizz and may bubble over.
2. Slowly pour the solution down the drain. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes.
3. Run cold water and turn on the garbage disposal and run for 30 seconds or so.
4. Scrub out the interior of the garbage disposal.
5. Rinse the sink with hot water.
   

The great thing about this cleaning hack is it uses natural ingredients, so you don't have to worry about handling harsh chemicals - which makes it cheaper than buying drain cleaner, too.

The reason this works is because the citric acid in lemons kills bacteria, cutting through any grease or dirt to get rid of nasty smells. Meanwhile, baking soda is a mild alkali and can dissolve dirt and grease as well as act as a deodorizer, because of the way it reacts with molecules.

Clean Mama advises using this hack weekly, or whenever your garbage disposal starts to get a little stinky.

Looking for more cleaning hacks? Why not try this no-equipment trick for cleaning oven racks, or a 15-minute tip for cleaning casserole dishes.

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