We all know the frustration of a long delay while merely waiting for water to clear from a sink, even when the sink stopper is unblocked. This inconvenience often happens with the kitchen sink. The primary reasons for a blocked kitchen or bathroom sinks are accumulated food waste and soap scum.
Sometimes, a clogged sink will require more than rolling up your sleeves and going in with your old-school plunger or a dose of chemical-based drain cleaners like Drano. Note that a drain cleaner can, at times, cause more damage to your drain line system; plus, the backsplash from severe blockages could harm your eyes and skin.
Don't you worry, a smooth drain is not a distant dream. With things you can find at home, a DIY fix should save you the money and the need to call a plumber.
Note that the process of unclogging a kitchen sink and a bathroom sink are similar but vary in some ways slightly. The end goal in each case is to help the drain line freely let water out by clearing out the drain clogs. Here are simple ways to do it.
Ways to Unclog A Sink Drain
1. Check the Garbage Disposal
First, check if the garbage disposal is attached to your sink. If a functional garbage disposal is causing the clog, this should be an easy problem. Turning your disposal on is all you need to do.
However, if your garbage disposal is dysfunctional or overheated, you can use the reset button at the bottom of the side to reboot it. After resetting, the disposal should be able to run and clear the drain clog.
If you turn it on and hear a low hum, this could mean that the unit is either broken or just jammed. Remember, never try to fix your garbage disposal while the power is still on.
You can manually tune the blades by inserting an Allen wrench into the disposal hole. Try to twist it until you feel little to no resistance. This will be a great sign that the blockage is breaking.
If you realize there's no garbage disposal blockage, go to the next method.
2. Use Boiling Water
Blockage in your sink is commonly due to hair, soap residue, grease or food debris, which get stuck in your drain line. Boiling water and pouring it through your pipes will help the blockage. It's a straightforward fix, which means you should consider it as your step 1 when trying to unclog a sink.
Steps for this method are:
- On your stove or electric water kettle, heat half a gallon of water to boiling point
- Pour the hot water down the drain
- Check through the faucet to see whether the water drains smoothly
- If the sink is still clogged or draining slowly, repeat this process
If your sink drain pipe is made of PVC pipes, don't use the boiling water method since the hot water could either melt or damage the drain.
3. Use Baking Soda and Vinegar
A natural alternative to using chemicals like drain cleaners to unclog a sink, you can use everyday household items in your kitchen such as baking soda and vinegar. To let the mixture work its magic, follow these steps:
- Step 1 is to pour a cup of baking soda down the sink drain. Using a spoon, push the baking soda down the drain
- Pour a cup of white vinegar through the drain opening
- Place a sink stopper on the drain to seal the sink opening
- Let this mixture sit for around 15 minutes
- Remove the sink stopper and then let the hot tap water down the drain
- For more intense clogs, use boiling water
4. Use A Plumber’s Snake
For sink clogs that put up a fight, use a plumber's snake for the battle. The snake has a coiled spiral tip that goes down through the drain.
When the drain snake hits debris, dislodge it by cranking the handle to help you pull it out of the sink drain. Use the snake down the sink drain a few feet at a time. Don't push roughly since you might push the drain clogs further down the pipe. Keep at it until you are sure that the blockage is gone. After this, run hot water down the drain to check.
You can also use an electric drain snake to tackle a clogged drain. You can make a makeshift drain snake from a wire coat hanger where you don't have either.
You'll need a pair of pliers to unwind the coat hanger into one long wire to make this drain snake. Then, adjust the angle of the hook carefully enough not to unwind the hooked end. You'll use the hooked end to grab onto the debris.
When dealing with these types of plumbing problems, it's important to have a set of pliers that can handle bending wire tough bolts, as well as pipe connections. Maun pliers are designed for this task, with strong parallel-action jaws to help keep a solid grip on the hard wire, as well as other fixtures and fittings. Some of their pliers have a v-slot down the jaws to help with bending wire, which is ideal for creating a plumber's snake, as mentioned above.
5. Clean the P-trap
If the methods above don't work, it might mean that debris is clogged in your p-trap, which is the elbow-shaped part of your sink pipe. You will need to clean it up to unclog a sink drain.
Tip: This method is messy because you must disassemble your sink pipe to clean the p-trap. You'll need rubber gloves, goggles, and towels for this task.
Steps to cleaning the p-trap include:
- Place a bucket under your kitchen or bathroom sink to catch any water or debris that may fall out
- Unhinge the connectors on the pipe that hold the curved piece to the vertical and the horizontal pipe
- Remove the P-trap and clean out the soap scum, food debris, or grime
- Once clean, connect it back to the pipe
- Run tap water down the drain to check whether it's smoothly draining
- If the water still doesn't drain smoothly, then the clog is further up; disconnect the rest of the pipe and clean them
How do I prevent future clogs in my kitchen sink/ bathroom sink?
a) Make sure you don't pour certain items that clog up your drain. These items include:
- Grease, oils and fats
- Eggshells
- Ground coffee
- Meat
- Starchy foods
- Fruit peels
- Gum
- Paint
- Paper products
- Food wrappers
b) Don't overload your garbage disposal. Never grind more than a cup of waste at a time. As well, avoid putting in any of the items above
c) Mix a solution of vinegar and water equally. Put the mixture in an ice tray. Once every month, grind a few of these cubes down your disposal to scrape away any residue buildup
d) Run hot water regularly
e) Use a sink stopper to collect any food waste before it goes down the drain
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Unclog a Sink
1. What causes a sink to clog?
A sink can clog due to food scraps, grease, soap scum, or hair building up in the drain over time. Foreign objects like jewellery or small items can also block the pipes if accidentally dropped.
2. How do I unclog a sink naturally?
You can try using a mix of baking soda and vinegar. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by half a cup of vinegar. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then flush it with hot water. This method is eco-friendly and effective for minor clogs.
3. Can I use a plunger on a sink?
Yes! Place the plunger over the sink drain, ensuring it forms a seal. Push and pull the plunger vigorously for a few minutes. This creates suction that can dislodge the clog. If it’s a double sink, block the other drain with a wet cloth for better suction.
4. Is it safe to use chemical drain cleaners?
Chemical cleaners are also useful but should be used only when necessary. They have aggressive compounds that can corrode your pipes over time or are toxic to handle if not handled properly. Handle with care. Always obey them, and where possible, look for rational measures first.
5. What should I do if plunging doesn’t work?
If plunging does not work, use the drain snake or wire hanger that is available to force the obstruction to come out. Push it down the drain and with a turning motion remove unwanted material from the drain. If the remedies mentioned above will not solve this problem, then it would be wise to get the assistance of a plumber.
