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You could be smelling sewer gas in your kitchen because of a dry P-trap, clogged vent pipe, or leaking plumbing seals. If you smell a rotten egg odor, check your sink’s P-trap and plumbing connections first. A clogged or damaged vent pipe can trap sewer gas and push it back into your kitchen through the plumbing pipes. Loose or deteriorated seals around drainpipes can also allow sewer gas to leak out. If you can’t find the source, call a local plumber for expert help.

Using less toilet paper is the easiest way to prevent future clogs. Also, avoid flushing sanitary products, thick paper towels, or hair down the toilet. If you’ve been using a brick in the tank to reduce the water used to flush the toilet, take it out immediately. Bricks will eventually fall apart and clog your toilet drain. Keeping your toilet lid closed also helps avoid future clogs.

The best thing to unclog a septic tank is a mechanical auger, especially if the clog is far down the line or particularly dense. You can also clear a clog in a septic line with a wooden pole or steel rod. Be sure to follow safety precautions when working in a septic tank, including wearing heavy-duty work gloves, goggles, and a gas mask.

Septic tanks naturally have bacteria that break down some of the solid waste in the septic tank. However, sludge buildup is just part of owning a septic system. While liquid wastewater can be filtered and treated through the system, a septic tank company has to pump the septic tank out at least every few years.