5 WAYS TO UNCLOG A SINK

Are you dealing with a clogged sink? Do you want to know how to fix it fast? If yes, you are in the right place. Clogged sinks can cause a lot of problems. You will not be able to use your sink. More importantly, the stagnating water might make you sick.

Therefore, you will have to address the issue immediately to avoid any inconvenience. If a professional plumber isn’t available to resolve the issue right away, you can try to fix it on your own for now.

You will need a few materials to unclog your sink. In the following, we will cover five proven ways to unclog sinks.

1. Clean the Trap

You can clear the trap. Find a U-shaped pipe under the sink. The pipe is the trap, and you will have to clean it to bring back the functionality of your sink. Some solids get stuck in the trap’s bottom.

As a result, water cannot pass properly. Eventually, your sink gets clogged. Therefore, first, you will have to clean the trap. The cleaning might unclog the sink. You will need a bucket to clear the trap. Get a bucket and then do the following to clear all the solids from the bottom of the trap.

– Put the bucket under the sink trap. You will find slip nuts just above the trap. Loosen the nuts.

– Once the nuts are loose completely, the trap will fall directly into the bucket beneath it.

– Remove all the stuck debris and then reattach the trap. For this, you will have to tighten the slip nuts.

The entire process is easy and less time-consuming. It will not take more than a couple of minutes. If you want, you can wear gloves during the cleaning and unclogging process. If the issue is still present after cleaning the trap, you can consider the next method.

2. Get a Plunger

In this method, you will need a plunger. The plunger is one of the most useful devices to unclog a sink. You can use a plunger to unclog any sink that might be your bathroom or kitchen sink. Let’s know how to use a plunger for your sink.

– Fill water in your sink and then put the plunger on the drain of the sink. Pull up and push down repeatedly.

– If all the water goes down within a couple of minutes, then the issue is resolved. Otherwise, you will have to try different methods.

3. Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

You might have heard that both vinegar and baking soda are effective to unclog sinks. They will remove the buildups inside the pipe. You will have to use this solution after following the above two steps. Otherwise, you might not get the desired benefits. Both these can work when the drain is open partially. You can use the baking soda and the vinegar in the following way.

– Pour one cup of baking soda on your sink, and then pour one cup of vinegar.

– Wait for fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, run water for around five minutes. You will have to use hot water to maximize the benefits.

This method will unclog your sink. In most cases, it works. However, if the issue is still present, you can try the following method.

4. Use Auger to Clean the Drain

If none of the above methods work, you can consider using an auger to unclog the sink’s drain. This process is a bit time-consuming. However, it is the most effective way to unclog a clogged sink.

– Remove the trap. You can follow the method mentioned above to remove the trap.

– Run the auger back and forth in the drain. You will have to run the complete length of your auger throughout the drain.

– Even experienced professionals take fifteen minutes to do this job. You might take more time. Therefore, make sure that you have enough time to do this. You might find the process a bit complex if you are doing it for the first time.

– After using the auger, you will have to reattach the trap and then run water to ensure that the sink is unclogged.

Fill the sink with water and release it to flush the pipes. The process will ensure proper cleaning.

5. Use Water & Dish Soap

You will have to use hot water in this method. It is worth mentioning that PVC might get damaged at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have PVC pipes, you will have to take extra caution while following this step. The method will work when the sink is draining slowly. If the sink is open partially, you can consider this method. Let’s know how to do this.

– Boil at least five gallons of water. You can boil more.

– Turn the sink on hot and allow it to run for five to ten minutes.

– When the water starts to boil, you will have to turn off the sink and then use dish soap. You can empty the bottle into your sink. Consider a big bottle to get more benefits.

– After pouring the dish soap, you will have to run water for a couple of minutes.

– Now put all the boiling water into the sink.

You can use this simple method to unclog your sink. From the above, you might have realized that you do not need much effort and spend a lot to unclog your sink. You will have to do it right to get the desired benefits.

A clogged sink is a common issue that we experience more than a couple of times. We take the help of professionals to fix it. However, you can try the above methods to unclog your sink. It will work for your bathroom and kitchen sinks. The process is easy, safe, and effective.

But, if none of these work, you will need professional help. You can reach out to a North Tustin plumbing company to resolve the issue. The experienced professionals will address it immediately and can help with the best possible solution.

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