How to Unclog a Sink Like a Pro

Nothing is as frustrating as when you go to wash your favorite mug and your kitchen sink won’t drain. Now you’ve got gross standing water and a problem to deal with. No need to immediately call your plumber! Follow our easy solutions to clear a clogged kitchen or bathroom sink drain.

Drain clogs are caused by compacted and stuck food, hair, grease, and soap scum along any part of the pipe. Clogs are inevitable, however there are several ways to help minimize the size or frequency:

• Use drain guards when washing dishes to keep food particles from going down the drain.
• Never put common sink cloggers like eggshells, coffee grounds, or grease down the drain or garbage disposal. Run cold water when using the garbage disposal.
• Every month, pour hot water down drainpipes to loosen anything that has gotten stuck before it becomes a bigger issue.

After you have determined there is a clog in your sink, there are several methods to help clear it. The trick is to start with the smallest and easiest method and move up to the next “heavy duty” method to find what works. Sometimes, these methods need to be repeated more than once to help get all the clog dislodged.

1. Baking Soda and Vinegar. While your first thought might be to reach for a chemical drain cleaner, the best option is something you already have in your kitchen—baking soda and vinegar. Chemical drain cleaners can be dangerous if used incorrectly and can damage pipes if the wrong type is used. They also will only work on small clogs that aren’t too deep.

   How to Use the Baking Soda and Vinegar Mixture:

   • Before you begin, remove any standing water in the sink and dump it outside.
   • Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain and then one cup of vinegar (white is the most economical).
   • Use a drain stopper to cover the drain and wait around 15-20 minutes for the mixture to work its magic.
   • After the time is up, run hot water down the drain. If it still drains slowly, try the mixture once or twice more before moving on to the next method.
2. Plunger. The next method is using a trusty plunger. Yep, like for your toilet. The best plunger for the job will be labeled as a drain plunger for sinks and have an “accordion” shape to force water down the pipe. Plungers move water through the pipes with a force great enough to dislodge the clog and flush it down the line. You may want gloves for this one.

   Using a plunger to clear a sink clog:

   • Make sure to clear any food debris that you have to avoid more clogs.
   • If you have a double sink, use a drain stopper in the side that isn’t clogged.
   • Fill the clogged sink with clean water to form a tight seal for your plunger. Hot water works best to help clear out any grease.
   • Use the plunger like you would in your toilet, pushing down and pulling up quickly. Continue using the plunger until the water drains.
3. Drain Snake and Other Tools. If baking soda with vinegar followed by a plunger doesn’t cut it, you may need to move up to a drain snake, auger, or other drain opener using pressure. These tools are for deeper clogs that the baking soda mixture and the plunger are unable to reach.

   Using a drain snake: Drain snakes are long cables or plastic sticks with a spiral or barbs at the end to grab hold of the clog and pull it out. These small drain snakes are usually manual. However, there are some that are electric and large (usually labeled as an auger). For the purposes of a kitchen or bathroom sink, a manual drain snake will work just fine.

   • Gently push the drain snake down the clogged drain until you meet resistance.
   • Turn the drain snake either with the finger handle or the large handle (whichever one you have). Once you twist and lose the resistance, pull the clog out.
   • To fully wash the drain and pipes out, going back in with the baking soda and vinegar mixture will help clear any last bits of gunk.

   Using water pressure: Instead of a drain snake, using a “clog buster” or high water pressure will break up the clog and send it on its way. These types of drain openers are valves that are attached to a hose or other water source and the other end is inserted into the clogged drain. In between, there is an expandable rubber “bladder” that fills with water to expand into the pipes and prevents any backflow. Water then comes out of the bladder at a high rate of speed to break up the clog and move it down the drain.

   • Before you begin, make sure you remove the drain stopper.
   • Attach the hose to the faucet or garden hose (if you have one long enough) and the other end of the hose to the valve.
   • Put the valve over the drain opening and turn on the water. The seal will happen automatically.
   • Keep the water on for around a minute and check the flow of the drain. If it still runs slow, repeat this process once more.
   • Clean off the drain stopper before you install it back in the drain.
4. Drain the P-Trap. If none of the above methods work, your clog could be deep in the drain beyond the P-trap and access drain. The P-trap is a u-shaped PVC pipe that connects the sink drain to the access drain and the rest of the house plumbing system. The trap is so called because it traps some water in the pipes which helps prevent smelly sewer gases from coming up through the drain. (If you lose a ring, it might also get trapped there, too)

   Removing and Cleaning the P-Trap:

   • Place a bucket under the p-trap to catch the trapped water. A couple of towels might come in handy, too. You may want gloves for this one, as well.
   • To unscrew the pipe, turn the fasteners slowly on either side of the curve and let the water flow out. It’s a good idea to do one side first. Let all the water drain.
   • One you have the P-trap off, look through the pipe to see if this is the location of the clog. Remove any debris and wash out the pipe.
   • If there isn’t a clog there, check the access drain which consists of the pipe from the P-trap to the wall or back of the cabinet. That pipe can be removed the same way as at the P-trap if necessary. You can also use a drain snake at this point to clear out the clog.

That’s it! Four easy ways to clear out a clogged sink. If you are still experiencing issues, it’s time to call a plumber for a deeper dive into the issue. If you have any questions about what type of auger you need or just want to swap some plumbing horror stories (yup, we’ve heard a few tall tales), stop by your local McCoy’s where we’re ready to help you.