If you have ever tried to open your kitchen sink just to find it clogged, you’re not alone. The problem of kitchen sinks getting clogged is one that so many people face and one that can take several hours to fix. And in some cases, it’s impossible for the homeowner to fix them by themselves. So, I’ve put together this blog post with the goal of explaining how to unclog a kitchen sink.
It is quite common for a sink to become clogged, and if that happens there are some steps you can take to try and fix it. Sometimes all you need is some thorough home remedies that can help you unclog your kitchen drain. Kitchen sinks can be stopped up for a variety of reasons including hair, food particles, grease and soap scum.
Table of Contents
1. Boil a kettle of water
- Pour at least 1 liter (1¾ pints) of boiling water down your drain. This should clear most blockages in your sink.
- If this doesn’t work, try pouring baking soda down the drain followed by vinegar, then cover the drain with a wet cloth or tea towel to create a seal and leave for 15 minutes before pouring boiling water down again.
- Allow about ten minutes between pouring each batch of water down the sink, so that you give the water time to work its way through the pipes before you add more. In most cases this will clear the blockage enough so that any remaining debris can be cleared by plunging or using a drain snake.
2. Pour the water down the drain
If your kitchen sink is clogged and you’re ready to call a plumber, try this first. Here’s how to unclog a kitchen sink with a plunger.
- Remove the pop-up stopper, if there is one. Some sinks have a pop-up stopper that lifts and lowers when you turn the knob on the drain. If there is one, lift it out of the drain assembly and set it aside.
- Fill the sink about halfway with hot water, then plunge vigorously for 30 seconds or so. This should help dislodge whatever is stuck in the pipes.
- Check to see if the water drains from the sink after plunging; if not, repeat these steps until the
3. Pour other hot liquids down the drain
When you have a slow-draining or clogged kitchen sink, don’t reach for the drain cleaner. These 6 tips demonstrate how to unclog a kitchen sink without chemicals.
- Boil water and pour it down the drain. Boiling water is one of the quickest ways to unclog a drain in your home. It’s not guaranteed to unclog physical or grease blockages, but if you have a slow drain that you think is due to a light or small blockage, boiling water can help.
- Use baking soda and vinegar. If you have both baking soda and vinegar on hand, you probably have all you need to unclog that clogged kitchen sink. This method works well with small clogs, but it isn’t strong enough to handle larger problems in most cases.
- Use salt and baking soda together. Another combination that can work well for clearing clogs is salt and baking soda, especially if the clog is caused by grease buildup on the sides of your pipes
- Plunge it out. Using a plunger may seem like an obvious way to clear a clogged drain, but only use this method if your sink contains standing water.
4. Flush with cold water
- Pull the stopper out of your kitchen sink. Use a flashlight and pliers to examine the drain for any clogs. If you see a clog, use needle-nose pliers to pull it out.
- Flush with cold water. Turn on the cold water and flush the drain with several cups of water. This may unclog your drain.
- Use a plunger. If flushing with cold water didn’t work, try plunging the sink to force the clog free. Place a wet rag over one of your drains to create suction; then gently plunge up and down for at least 30 seconds. Slowly lift up the plunger to see if there’s any improvement in draining speed.
- Repeat this process several times if necessary until you can feel resistance in your plunger, which indicates that you’ve dislodged the clog from your drain pipes.
- Remove the clog manually. Unscrew your pipe traps from beneath the sink and empty them into a bucket or trash can. Reattach them when done and flush with cold water once more to remove any remaining debris from your pipes.
Conclusion
If you are careful and use caution, you can unclog your kitchen sink yourself. If you are faced with a clogged kitchen sink, there are few things you can do to try and fix the problem. First check the garbage disposal to make sure that nothing has fallen inside. You can also check the dish rack to see if any dishes have been left behind in the sink. As long as you take care of your problems early on, you shouldn’t end up needing a professional who will charge you an arm and a leg for a simple job that could easily be done yourself.
The fact is that the combination of hot water, soap and grease can create a congealed mess anywhere. Grease does not mix well with water and it tends to congeal at the bottom of kitchen sinks and bathtubs. To get rid of this mess you’ll need to get professional help from a plumber, but if you want to try your luck and do it yourself you can give it a try by following our tips.
