At some point everyone has to deal with a clogged sink in their home. The blockage can be caused by all sorts of things – grime, grease, food, hair balls and plenty of other gunk too. Fortunately, dealing with the issue needn’t be a major challenge. Let’s have a look at a few different solutions to clearing a clogged sink.
Depending on how bad the blockage is, you might need to up the ‘firepower’ for solving the problem.
Use a plunger
Grab the plunger from your bathroom, run a little water into the sink itself and then start plunging. Place the plunger over the hole so it is completely covered and pump for up to a minute. The blockage may come up and out of the plugholeitself, ormight simply break up and drain away.
The vinegar and baking soda method
This is a classic method for attacking any blockage. First, pour some very hot water down the blocked drain. Next, pour around half a cup of baking soda into the drain and leave that to sit for a couple of minutes. Next, pour around a cup of vinegar into the drain – the chemical reaction with the baking soda will cause it to fizz and break up the blockage. Leave it a minute or two again and chase it down with more hot water.
Use a chemical drain blocker
There’s a range of special-purpose drain blockers available in most hardware and convenience stores. Follow the instructions on the package and these will normally eliminate tougher blockages – although be aware they usually contain noxious chemicals.
Use a coat hanger
If there’s something bigger blocking the drain, it may be time to go manual. Bend a wire coat hanger and then feed it down the drain until you feel the blockage. By twisting, turning and pulling, you may manage to break up or even pull out the cause of your troubles.
Take apart the pipes
If none of the above have worked, it might be time to get under the sink and take apart the pipes yourself. If you have plastic pipes, these can often be take apart by hand with no special equipment – just be sure to have a bucket handy to collect any liquid that comes out.
Prevent!
If you are getting lots of blockages in a particular sink, consider buying a filter which will prevent anything non-liquid from entering the pipes in the first place.
If you’ve tried all these methods and are still struggling with a blocked pipe, it might be time to call in a professional plumber to get to the root of the problem.
