How To Unblock Sinks: A DIY Guide

We all know a blocked kitchen or bathroom sink drain is a deal-breaker. All the bad smells that come with it make it uncomfortable for anyone to use your bathroom or kitchen sink.

Although we recommend getting professional help from our of our professional sink unblocking service in London fully qualified and expert London plumbers, if you have enough time and skill, you can always DIY some projects. This includes clearing a Blocked sink.

Different things, such as food and grease in the kitchen sink or soap scum in the bathroom sink can cause drainage issues. We know the slow drainage of water resulting from this can be frustrating, so we bring you different ways to unblock a sink.

Unclogging a sink: here’s what to do.

Method#1- unblock with a plunger.

When using the plunger method to unblock a sink, you should start by clearing away any trash, including food particles, hair, or standing water. You need a sink with not much water in it. So, gather a cup, and a bucket, wear gloves and scoop out the water. Give it a thorough clean. Clear it out of as much soap scum and other debris as you can.

Now to stop the overflow, use an old dishcloth or towel. Cover it by hand or stick it with strong tape to ensure an airtight seal.

position the plunger around the plughole for an airtight seal, then add some lukewarm water to the sink. Now, firmly but not aggressively pump the plunger down and up to create pressure and remove any solids or water that may have become lodged in the pipe.

And just like that, you just learned how to clear a kitchen sink blockage, perhaps this will solve your kitchen sink drain issues. Use the same method for clogged bathroom sinks too.

Unblocking A Sink Without A Plunger: Here’s What To Do.

Method #1 Using Baking Soda and vinegar

step #1

get a funnel, it’s very important in this method. You’ll need the following material to get your work done; baking soda, white vinegar, salt, dish soap, and hot water.

pour some boiling water into the drain while being sure to squirt some grease-fighting dish detergent into the drain carefully. The dishwasher soap will help in cleaning fatty blockages.

step #2

in the drain, pour 1 cup of baking soda. If you have a small drain that makes it difficult to pour straight into the drain opening, you can also use a measuring cup or a funnel to do this.

step #3

in the drain, pour 1 cup of distilled vinegar. The loud response that follows shouldn’t come as a shock. A mild acetate acid is present in vinegar, while baking soda seems to be an alkaline material. The two react quite drastically when combined to balance one another; the bubbling sound you hear is this reaction, which frequently helps to clear blockages in drains.

step 4

wait 5 minutes after the bubbling stops. Take advantage of this opportunity to boil two cups of water. Use this additional boiling water to flush the drain.

Use hot water to clear all dirt down the drain if the drainage is currently flowing. The previous procedures should be repeated when it’s not draining. It might be essential to redo the baking soda wash at least twice if you haven’t recently cleansed your drain.

if the drain blockage persists after two or even more attempts, use the soda crystals or washing powder procedure stated below.

Method #2 Soda Crystals Or Washing Powder

a blocked sink can be easily fixed with soda crystals, which are a multipurpose cleaner. Pouring boiling hot water into the drain first is a good place to start. After waiting 5 minutes, pour one mug of hot water and one mug of soda crystals into the plughole. After all, pour another kettle of boiling water to flush out the dirt.

a good sink unblocker is also washing powder. Put two teaspoons filled with biological washing powder into the plughole before running boiling water through to clean it out. depending on how severe the blockage is, either procedure may need to be repeated numerous times.

method #3 Unblocking With Alka-seltzer

if you’re unsure how to fix a slight clog in your bathroom sink, what steps should you take? Try dropping a few alka-seltzer tablets and then pour a cup of white vinegar down the plughole. Allowing it to sit for a while before adding some boiling water.

Method#4 Unblock a U Bend

When you have tried everything and didn’t succeed, it’s time to get your hands filthy and do some dirty work. In some cases, removing the u bend and manually clearing the blockage out of your restroom or kitchen sink is the only option.

step #1

I hope you have a firm stomach and some worn-out work clothes. This task will be unpleasant ant untidy. Another requirement is rubber gloves. Put some old towels underneath the sink to absorb any water drips, and keep a pail nearby.

Step #2

The pipe’s first curve, directly below the plughole, is a u-bend. Put the bucket underneath the u-bend and gently and carefully use a wrench to loosen each pipe piece just enough to allow the extra water to drain out. You can continue to totally unscrew and remove it once the water stops dripping.

Step #3

Clean the u-bend thoroughly by moving it to a different sink or, if possible, outside. To properly make sure it smells and looks much better, use one wire coat hanger, some warm water, and disinfectant spray.

Step #4

Use a wrench to reconnect the u-bend, then test it by turning the tap on a bit. Remove the portion and reattach it if you have a leak.

Method #5 Use Excess water

The simplest solutions are often the best. Fill a 2-liter plastic bottle to the capacity with hot water. After that, insert the open end into the plughole and press whatever is blocking the pipe downwards and out as rapidly as you can.

Method#6 Use A Snake To Unblock the Blocked sinks.

If none of the above methods have worked for you, you might want to use a drain snake. it is the plumbers’ and homeowners’ secret weapon for removing stubborn blockages.

step #1

Put the snake down the drain, never try to force it. the snake’s head is made to carry out labour-intensive tasks for you. Push it until it can’t go any further.

step #2

Unravel the coil using the handle to help the snake enter the barrier. You must feel the blockage break apart as you turn the handle forth and back. Continue carefully until you encounter no further resistance.

step #3

Remove the snake by winding it back up the pipe. Check to verify if the water readily flows down the plug by turning on the tap. Repeat the complete procedure if this hasn’t solved the problem.

Method #7 Unblock A Sink With A Wire coat hanger

A straight wire coat hanger, as well as a netting curtain wire, can be used as a simple DIY alternative to a drain snake if you don’t have one on hand to unclog and clean your blocked sink.

Until you locate the blockage, gently push your wire down the plughole. Give it a tiny shake, and gradually increase the pressure until the blockage is removed.

Conclusion

There are many different methods to unblock a sink with varying levels of effectiveness dependent on the root cause of the blockage you are facing, one method may work better than another. Ultimately prevention is always preferable to treatment, you might want to think about including a sink unblocker in your regular cleaning schedule.

And if the sink remains blocked?

If the sink obstruction hasn’t been removed using the aforementioned techniques, it’s time to call the best plumbers in london. 02086112591.

You can contact us at 020 8611 2591, and let us be at your most unique and pleasant service.