There’s nothing more annoying than when you go to wash your dishes or brush your teeth and your sink is clogged. This problem can escalate quickly, as the water in the basin will continually rise until it is completely full and spilling out onto the floor.
While there may be a trained plumber on call at any given moment, they can be very expensive, so you should consider clearing a clogged sink yourself before calling one in.
The first thing you’ll need to do is to find out exactly what is causing the clog. If it’s simply hair or dirt, then you’re in luck- it will only take a few minutes to clear. The most common culprits are:
Hair
Dirt and dust
Toilet paper and paper towels
Food waste
In this post, we’ll explain what to do if your sink is clogged and how to unclog it yourself. It’s important that you follow these steps exactly (though we’ll also mention some alternatives for those who don’t have these tools).
Have you ever been in the middle of doing dishes when the sink gets clogged, and all the water drains out? Suddenly, you’re stuck with a pile of dirty dishes, and no way to finish cleaning them. Luckily, if you know how to unclog a sink yourself, you may be able to fix the problem before it becomes too big.
There are many reasons your sink might become clogged. The most likely culprit is food debris that’s been slowly building up over time. It can also be hair or grease that’s built up inside your plumbing pipes.
If your sink is clogged, learn how to unclog it yourself without having to call a plumber.
What To Do If Your Sink Is Clogged
The first thing to do if your sink is clogged is to figure out what type of clog you have. This will tell you where the source of the problem is and help you choose the best way to go about fixing it.
If only certain areas of your sink are draining slowly—such as just one side or one of the basins—you probably have a blockage nearby in the P-trap or drain line connected to those areas.
If you’re like most homeowners, a clogged sink is not something you want to deal with. Often, it’s easier to live with the problem or call a plumber. But a clogged sink can become a big issue very quickly if left alone.
But before you panic and call your plumber, there are a few steps you can take to try to clear your drain yourself. A plunger is an effective way to unclog your sink without using toxic chemicals. But if using a plunger doesn’t solve the problem, then it’s time for chemical cleaners or professional help.
The first step in clearing your clog drains is to determine where the blockage is located. There may be one or more areas that are plugged. Often, when one area of the pipe is blocked, other sections of the plumbing will also become blocked. So it’s important to determine if you have one clog or several before attempting to clear them out.
How do you find out where the blockage is located? One way is to remove the P-trap under the sink and check for blockages there. If none are found, then it’s time to check further down the line. If no other drains are affected by this blockage, then there may be
You can often unclog a clogged sink yourself without calling a plumber. The hard part is knowing what to do and what to use, as well as how to use it safely and effectively.
In this article, we’ll show you the best way to clear a clogged kitchen sink with a garbage disposal, as well as a clogged bathroom sink, bathtub, and clogged shower drain. We’ll also show you how to clear a double-bowl sink using an inexpensive drain snake.
We’ll also help you understand why drains get clogged in the first place and give you tips on how to prevent future problems.
We’ll start with the easiest fixes and work our way up to tougher tasks that require special tools.
A common plumbing issue that can come up is a clogged sink drain. Clogged drains can happen in the bathroom or kitchen, and they are usually caused by hair, grease, soap or other debris. A clogged sink drain can also be caused by something stuck in the P-trap.
Before you begin to use any chemical drain cleaners, try to unclog your sink with hot water, a plunger and a snake. If those methods don’t work, you can use a chemical cleaner. It’s important not to use more than one product per day on your drains as they may react with each other and cause damage to the pipes or finish of your sinks.
How to Unclog a Sink Drain with Hot Water
If you have a clogged drain in your kitchen or bathroom, try pouring hot water down it first. The hot water will help melt any grease buildup in the pipes and allow it to flow down the drain more easily. Try one gallon of boiling hot water first; if that doesn’t work, repeat until the clog is gone.
How to Unclog a Sink Drain with Baking Soda and Vinegar
One of the best ways to unclog drains naturally is by using baking soda and vinegar. Pour about
When you have a clogged sink on your hands, that means that the pipe is blocked and water cannot pass through it freely. In some cases, your clog may be located far down the drainpipe and you won’t be able to remove it yourself. In that case, you need a professional plumber to do the job for you. However, if you can reach your clog with a plumbing snake or by disassembling your drainpipe, it’s possible to fix the problem yourself.
Steps
1. Check the drain. If water is draining slowly but steadily, it’s probably only a partial clog that you can clear using either a store-bought chemical solution or a homemade one. If there is no drainage at all, you have a complete clog and will need to use a plunger or snake to open up the pipe again.
2. Try liquid drain cleaner first. These are sold in hardware stores for about $5 per bottle. These cleaners contain lye and other chemicals that react with grease and hair in pipes to break them up into smaller pieces that can wash away more easily.[1] The chemicals are dangerous – make sure children and pets are kept away from the area while you’re using them! Follow all instructions on the
There are several ways to unclog your sink drain, but for all of them, you’ll need the right tools. The ones you need are inexpensive and available at hardware stores, so pick them up before you start:
A plunger.
A snake or auger.
An adjustable wrench.
Pliers
Rags or a sponge