How To Unblock Your Sink

Many UK citizens won’t think about whether or not all the sinks in their homes are draining correctly. However, once one is blocked, it suddenly becomes the only thing you think of.

Multiple tried-and-tested methods work for unblocking a sink, but what should you look for before starting this DIY task?

What To Do Before Unblocking Your Sink

Before you attempt unblocking your sink, you will want to do the following:

Find Out What Caused The Blockage

Sometimes, it can be challenging to identify the cause of the blockage. However, you can determine the culprit if there are any unusual items poured down the sink, including:

• Grease
• Food scraps
• Hair

Also, when checking the blockage, determine whether it is a partial (slow-draining) or complete (water doesn’t drain away) sink clog. Determining what type of blockage it is will help with the method of unblocking.

Another factor to consider is whether multiple drains are blocked. If more sinks are clogged around the home, it strongly indicates that the issue is further down the plumbing system.

Drain Standing Water

If your sink has a lot of standing water, scoop it out in a small container. For smaller amounts of water, use a sponge or towel.

Get The Tools And Materials You Need

Depending on the type of blockage, your tools and materials might differ. However, these are the usual items you potentially need:

• Regular plunger
• Baking soda and vinegar
• Drain snake
• Bucket and water pliers
• Rubber gloves
• And if it is a grease clog, boiling water

You may also require additional towels to protect the surrounding sink area.

Also, if you plan to use a chemical drain cleaner, ensure enough ventilation and wear protective eyewear. The fumes released can cause rashes or burns.

Just In Case There’s An Accident

If you experience an accident with a chemical drain cleaner, acting quickly is essential.

In an incident where the chemicals make contact with your skin, flush the area with cool water for at least 15 minutes. Also, if the substances have made contact with clothing or jewellery, remove and wash them.

Do not apply creams or ointments to the affected area.

For those who have the misfortune of getting chemicals in their eyes, flush your eyes with lukewarm water for at least 15-20 minutes. Keep your eyelids open and move your eyes around to remove the chemical.

Lastly, do not rub your eyes.

If you are ever in doubt, go to the emergency room and inform the medical professional about what happened and the manufacturer’s recommended steps.

While you’ll unlikely encounter issues when using chemical drain cleaners, it’s best to exercise caution.

Now that we’ve discussed what you might need to know before unblocking your sink let’s discuss how to unclog your basin.

Methods To Unclog Your Sink

Gently Pour Boiling Water Into The Drain

For more minor blockages that a build-up of fat or grease has caused, you can use boiling water.

When your grease or fat cools and solidifies, it can stick to the inner walls of your sink’s pipes. The boiling water liquefies the built-up and hardened grease.

It’s important to note that boiling water might require a few slow pours to dislodge the solidified grease.

If it has worked, follow up and pour dish soap and warm water down the sink to ensure no residue remains.

Using Baking Soda And Vinegar

Mixing baking soda and vinegar creates a natural chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide, water, and sodium acetate.

The chemical reaction’s fizzing and bubbling help loosen grease and other organic debris, and the pressure from the reaction dislodges mild blockages. This natural chemical reaction can also be used to remove a foul odour or as part of a preventive maintenance task.

To use this natural chemical reaction to unblock your drain, you can take the following steps:

Step 1: Apply Baking Soda

Pour one cup of baking soda directly into the sink’s drain, ensuring it is as far down as possible.

If water is at the bottom of the sink, remove it before pouring in the baking soda.

Step 2: Add Vinegar

When ready, pour one cup of vinegar into the drain over the baking soda. You should hear a fizzing and bubbling noise when the reaction starts to work and break down the clog.

Step 3: Cover And Wait

As soon as you hear the chemical action starting, cover the sink’s drain with a plug or a damp cloth. This will help to create some pressure.

To ensure the chemical reaction has worked, allow it to do its thing for 15-30 minutes.

Step 4: Flush With Hot Water

After waiting for the chemical reaction to work, you can pour boiler water (if metal piping) or hot tap water (if PVC pipes) into the drain to ensure no residue.

You might be required to perform this method several times to remove debris.

However, if your sink has a more stubborn blockage, it might be time to grab your plunger.

Use Suction And A Plunger

Using a plunger can be tricky, but it is a tried-and-true method. For sinks, you should use the cup plunger, which has a flat bottom and differs from the flange (toilet) plunger.

When using a plunger, you can take the following steps:

Step 1: Fill The Sink

To use your plunger, fill the sink with water (about two to three centimetres) so your plunger can create an airtight seal.

If the sink you’re trying to unblock is a double basin, seal the other drain with a wet cloth or plug to ensure it is airtight.

Cover the overflow hole of a bathroom sink with a damp cloth to improve suction.

Step 2: Position The Plunger

Place your plunger directly over the drain and ensure it covers its opening entirely to create an airtight seal.

When ready, it is time to start plunging.

Step 3: Start Plunging

To start, push the plunger down firmly to expel air, then pull it up slightly without lifting it off the drain to create a suction.

Once you’ve created the suction, force it up and down the drain for 20-30 seconds.

You should be able to feel the resistance of the clog and when it moves.

Step 4: Check If It Drains

When ready, remove the plunger. You should feel the suction break when pulling it back.

If the plunger has worked, the water should drain away freely. However, you might need to repeat the process if the water is not draining away.

For those who have succeeded, you will also want to pour soapy hot water down the drain to wash away any remaining debris.

However, sometimes, a plunger isn’t strong enough to dislodge the blockage, so a drain snake or sink auger is used instead.

Pierce It With A Drain Snake Or Sink Auger

A drain snake, or sink auger, is a flexible cable tool designed to break up and remove clogs. It is usually used for stubborn blockages that other methods have not successfully cleared.

When ready, follow these steps:

Step 1: Insert Auger

Extend your sink auger and insert it slowly into the drain. You may need to remove the plug grate if you can’t fit the auger into the drain.

Feed the sink auger slowly into the drain until you feel resistance, which indicates you’ve reached the blockage.

Step 2: Rotate The Auger

To remove the clog, turn the handle clockwise (for manual augers) to extend the cable further.

If using a powered auger, gently squeeze the trigger to advance the cable. It’s essential to keep pushing while the auger twists to break up the clog.

Step 3: Remove The Auger

Once you feel less or no resistance, it’s a good sign that you’ve broken up the blockage. Slowly pull the cable back out of the drain. Doing this too fast will cause splashing and a mess.

After removing the auger, you should clean off the accumulated debris. You may need to repeat the process if you have not removed the entire blockage.

Step 4: Flush The Drain

Run hot and soapy water down the pipes to remove all debris from the drain.

If this has not worked, there is another method to clear out the blockage.

Clean The U-Bend

Your home’s sink will have a U-bend, also known as a P-trap, a curved piped section beneath your basin.

Its purpose is to trap water in the bend, preventing sewer gases from floating up the drainage pipes into your home.

While this U-bend is a silent hero of your home, it does tend to trap debris that can cause blockages.

You will know if the U-bend is blocked as soon as you see it, as they can be transparent. If you have tried the other methods with no luck and can see debris in the U-bend, you will want to remove it and clear it out.

To do this, you will need to:

• Place A Bucket Under The U-Bend;
• Unscrew the trap, which might require using a set of water pliers;
• Clear the blockage out of the piping;
• Replace the pipe, reattach the cleaned new one, and run some water to ensure there are no leaks.

However, if the blockage is further down the drainage system and has not been dislodged, you must use chemical drain cleaners.

While all chemical cleaners will have step-by-step instructions on using them correctly and safely, some of you might want to ask for professional help.

Luckily, WarmZilla does plumbing repairs.

Get WarmZilla To Unblock Your Sink In 48 Hours

WarmZilla can send a professional plumber to your home, anywhere in the UK, within 48 hours for those struggling with a blocked sink..

Our call centre professionals can also assist those seeking clarification on a specific blocked sink question.