If you’re a dentist then you’ve definitely noticed that while plaster traps make awesome filters for your draining system, sometimes they can give off an awful odor that’s just unpleasant at best and unbearable at worst. But what can be done about these stinky smells? Are we doomed to having stinky places to have our teeth checked out? Do dentists need to spend a fortune on plumbing bills? Or is there another way?

Plaster Traps– what are they?

Plaster traps can be found in a variety of different places. From the aforementioned dentists offices to hospitals, art studios and laboratories. They’re designed to filter plaster debris from going into the drain pipes, and hardening in your drain systems. However, letting the stuff build up in the trap can cause a business owner’s worst nightmare– terrible odors. Say you’re a dentist and people come into your office then smell an ungodly stench emitting from your examining room. Obviously, they’re going to spin on their heels and walk right out. So what’s a tooth doctor to do? Luckily for you, there’s no PhD required to clean plaster traps. Some might even say it’s simple.

The steps to cleaning a plaster trap – replacing a trap bucket

Like I said one sentence ago, cleaning a plaster trap is fairly easy. For those of you who are visual learners, maybe try this video, it’s very helpful. For all others, why don’t we explore the steps together? Just a tip: you may want to bring gloves (as these traps tend to get stinky), a bucket with a garbage bag in it (or maybe even a garbage bin with a garbage bag in it) and possibly a wrench just in case you’re having trouble popping the top of your plaster trap off.

1. First off, you’ll have to locate your plaster trap. It should be a cylindrical contraption underneath your sink, next to all your other sink pipes. If it smells really awful, there’s a good chance your plaster trap is the source of that smell.
2. Remove the lid from the plaster trap. The lid should come off fairly easy alongside a gasket. Whether this is done by unscrewing some knobs at the top or just popping it off, this step is integral to being able to clean inside your plaster trap. This is probably pretty obvious and if you didn’t smell your trap before, this is probably the moment you’ll get your first whiff of the wretchedness of your plaster trap.
3. Put the lid and the gasket to the side, we will be cleaning those later. This is the moment where you remove the plaster trap from it’s cylindrical casket. You may need to use some muscle for this, because the water and the plaster are creating some suction. Make sure to let it drain for a bit so you’re not spreading plaster debris everywhere.
4. Shake the trap out into your bucket/bag combination. There also may be some slapping the bottom of the trap and maybe some digging involved, as plaster can sometimes be stubborn. Next, put the trap to the side.
5. Remember that cylindrical casket I mentioned earlier? Stick your preferably gloved hand into it and grab the remaining plaster chunks from the bottom of the cylinder. It’s a good idea to put that plaster debris in your bucket as well.
6. Put your finger into the pipe leading up to the sink and make sure there’s no blockage in there. Check the exit side as well, we want to make sure nothing is blocking those pipes.
7. Finally, clean off that gasket and lid from earlier. We need to make sure our plaster trap closes up well.
8. Slide your plaster trap back in and close it up. Make sure to clean up all the plaster remnants, because they could cause some issues in the long run.

Well, that was certainly easy, wasn’t it? But is there a way to keep your plaster trap odor under control? A way or maybe even four ways to extend the period of time between your plaster trap maintenance? Why don’t we explore the compete plaster trap treatment below together.

Odor removal – using a plaster trap deodorizer

First, let’s discuss ways to remove that awful smell from your plaster traps. There are two outstanding products that we should explore today, at least when it comes to odor removal in plaster traps:

Kleenout Citrus Deodorizer & Degreaser for Drains and Traps

The first one we should look at is Kleenout Citrus Deodorizer & Degreaser for Drains and Traps by Brodi. This product is one of the best when it comes to clearing foul smells from plaster traps, as it is an industrial strength solution that is specifically designed for that aforementioned task. It’s used in dentist’s offices, labs and medical buildings all around North America, is environmentally friendly and can be used in most drains.

Recommended use of this product would be pouring 1L of the solution down your drain a week. This way your system will stay odor free.

PlasterBlaster Deodorizer Floating Citrus based Degreaser & Deodorizer for Plaster Traps

The second deodorizer we should explore is PlasterBlaster Deodorizer floating citrus based degreaser & deodorizer for plaster traps by Brodi. This stuff is great for getting your plaster traps odor free. A high quality treatment for plaster traps, this solution creates a pleasant citrus smelling floating blanket which suppresses and eliminates odors. Here’s a couple other things this product can do:

• Creates long lasting formation for odor control
• Non-corrosive, non-caustic
• Safe on all metals & drains
• Eliminates larvae, flies and insects from drains

To use this product, fill about a third of the trap’s capacity with the solution, making sure to pour the solution down the main drain and also to continue this process on a regular basis. This will ensure your pipes stay stink-free.

The main difference between the PlasterBlaster Deodorizer and the Kleenout Citrus Deodorizer is the former sits in your plaster trap whereas the latter is flushed.

Plaster dissolvers

Maybe stink isn’t your problem, maybe you’ve got a buildup of plaster in there and it’s blocking up your pipes. In that case, try out these next few products:

Liquiflo Fumeless, Alkaline Drain Opener & Maintainer that kills Biofumes

The first plaster dissolver we’ll take a look at today is Liquiflo fumeless, alkaline drain opener & maintainer that kills biofumes. This stuff is deadly to any plaster that might be hanging around in your traps. Here’s a couple situations/places you could use Liquiflo that kills biofumes:

• Dissolving organic matter, hair, grease and oil commonly found in kitchen sink drains and bathroom drains.
• An excellent preventative maintenance solution for drinking fountains.
• Highly recommended for plaster traps typically found in dental offices and hospital fracture clinics.
• Commonly used in hospitals and health care facilities for breaking down biofilm accumulation in drains.
• Used in floor drains, toilets, urinals and any other blocked or slow running drains.

But how do you use this product? Check it out:

• For clogged drains: slowly pour 1/2 bottle into drain and leave for 30 minutes. Flush with cold water and repeat if necessary. This product is disolved in water and denser than water. So it will sink through water and directly attack blockage.
• For slow drains: use 1/3 bottle every 30 to 45 minutes until clear.
• For regular maintenance: use 1/4 bottle in drain weekly.

This stuff is also fumeless and odorless, so it can be used anywhere without being offensive to the smell. Finally, Liquiflo is one of the best ways to treat and remove slimy Biofilm buildup which has been found to be involved in a wide variety of microbial infections. It can also be used with an automated dispenser should you require it.

PlasterBlaster Dissolver: Heavy Duty Plaster Dissolver

Last but not least, let’s check out PlasterBlaster Dissolver: heavy duty Plaster Dissolver. Heavy duty is right. Any offending plaster in your drains will be a thing of the past after using this stuff. While it is meant to be used before the other products mentioned on this list, this fast acting acid based solvent will destroy any plaster that’s in your trap. It’s meant to eliminate the time and money lost when you remove the plaster manually. Here’s how to use it:

Depending on the size of your trap, pour about 1/3 of the trap’s capacity with PlasterBlaster Dissolver directly down the main drain attached to the trap. Do this on a regular basis to maintain an odor free system. Keep in mind, this stuff is fast acting and should be flushed with cold water within 10-15 minutes.

And that’s it! You’re now on your way to having a clean smelling dentist office, not to mention some sparkling clean plaster traps. That’s the deal– if you keep the world’s teeth clean, Brodi plaster trap treatment will make sure your traps and drains are just as sparkling.