Have you ever noticed that your kitchen sink is full of water when you try to wash the dishes? Or maybe your sink is full every time you brush your teeth. Neither of these situations are normal and can be very frustrating. Kitchen and bathroom sinks can experience clogs very easily, as numerous items and grooming products find their way down the drain, from toothpaste and hair to cooking oils and leftover food. What should I do if I notice that the is clogged?
Instead of calling a plumber, here are some natural (and easy) steps you can take to open the sink tap yourself. Try one of his five methods below to unclog a bathroom or kitchen sink.
1. Baking soda and vinegar
If you’re googling “how to unclog a sink”, you’ll come across the tried-and-true baking soda and vinegar method. This effective solution has proven to be an easy way to unclog sinks without the use of harsh chemicals like Drano.
mix together ? With a cup of baking soda? Make the vinegar a slightly effervescent solution. Immediately pour the mixture down a blocked drain and let the bubbling action effectively eat away dirt and buildup in the drain. . In some cases, it may be necessary to flush the drain with boiling water afterward to clear larger blockages.
This method is not 100% successful, but it usually resolves the issue after one or two tries. If not, there are some other natural remedies you can try before seeking professional help.
2. Baking soda and salt
We love simple solutions that utilize items most households already have in their pantry. I recommend trying baking soda and salt, which are effective solutions for.
Place 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup salt in a bowl. Pour this mixture down the drain and let it sit in the drain for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour boiling water down the drain. The combination of boiling water, baking soda, and salt causes a chemical reaction in the drain pipes that results in unclogging bathroom and kitchen sinks.
3. boiling water
In some cases, the solution is as simple as boiling water. Even if you don’t have baking soda, vinegar, or salt on hand, or you’re looking for the simplest solution, we recommend trying boiling water. residue.
Boiling water is best for unblocking a sink, rather than a complete blockage that drains slowly and fills the sink with water. Bring the water to a boil. When the water boils, pour it directly down the drain. Repeat this process 2-3 times. If you don’t see a noticeable difference after a few tries, another method of unclogging your sink may be more effective.
4. Plunger
You may find that you need more than a simple solution poured down the drain. That’s when it might be time to bring in a plunger as a reinforcement. While a flat-bottomed plunger is the preferred tool for unclogging sinks, most households have a toilet plunger that does the job. can be used to do so effectively.
First, fill the clogged sink halfway with hot water. Then place the plunger over the drain and start pumping quickly for at least 20 seconds. From time to time you should remove the plunger to see if water has started to drain. Repeat the process of pumping the plunger up and down over the seal until the water flows freely down the drain. If you find that the plunger isn’t contributing to clogging, it may be time to consider another option.
5. Plumber’s Snake
A plumber’s snake may not just be lying around, but this tool is good to have on hand for situations like this. If one of the natural solutions doesn’t fix it, you may need to opt for a plumber’s snake to reach into the drain and unclog it. If you find a blockage, you can use the handle to remove the dirt and pull it out of the drain.
However, we understand that not everyone has a plumber’s snake on hand. Alternatively, you can use a wire coat hanger to create a makeshift plumber’s snake. increase. Use pliers to unwind the hanger from the long wire. Use the hook end of the wire hanger to grab debris and remove it from the drain.
If you’ve tried several of these methods and still can’t unblock your bathroom or kitchen sink, there may be a bigger problem. We recommend that you seek a professional opinion from a local plumber.
FAQ
Why was the sink suddenly clogged?
Clogged drains can get progressively worse over time. However, sometimes the kitchen sink seems to be clogged out of nowhere. Kitchen sink drains can easily clog when cooking oils or starchy foods such as pasta or rice swell in water. It’s important to fix a clogged drain at the first sign of a problem and prevent it from becoming a worsening and costly problem.
How can I prevent future sink clogs?
Now that we’ve covered how to unclog your sink drain, it’s important to understand what steps you can take to prevent future sink clogs. Do not flush the following items down the sewer:
- grease, oil
- Egg shell
- meat
- coffee plantation
- pasta, rice, or bread
- fruit peels, seeds and stickers
Throw these items in the trash or compost as needed to keep your sink from clogging up.
Can Drano make a clogged sink worse?
Drano may temporarily relieve clogged sinks, but it is highly corrosive to drain pipes. I have. Depending on the condition of your pipes, Drano can cause costly leaks instead of fixing plumbing problems.
How do you clear blocked P-traps?
A P-trap is a bend in a kitchen or bathroom drain that contains a pocket of water that prevents toxic and foul-smelling sewer gases from entering your home through the pipe. However, due to the shape of this part of the plumbing, debris can collect and clog drains. To remove a clogged P-trap, it is recommended to place a small bucket under the trap to keep out the water. Then use a large wrench to loosen the nut at the base of the trap and disassemble the P-trap. After removal, you can clean the dirt and grime inside the P-trap.
Andrew Saladino
Andrew Saladino is the co-founder of Kitchen Cabinet Kings and has helped over 10,000 customers with their remodeling projects. He is a nationally recognized kitchen and bathroom expert from his NKBA, and his advice has appeared in major publications such as his Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and Yahoo!. small business, etc.
