How To Unclog A Sink

Step-by-step method how to unclog a sink. No more headaches!

Having a clogged sink is one of the most annoying problems you can have, and we’ve all been there. My sinks always get clogged up and I am the one who has to go and fix them. Whether it is from Play-Doh, hair, toothpaste, or paper – I’ve found so many random things stuck in our sink drains. I will say it in one sentence: Having a clogged sink sucks. That is why I am going to teach you how to unclog a sink!

There are multiple ways on how to unclog a sink. Some people opt to go to the store and buy chemicals to clean the clogged pipes. Others prefer to use some natural methods, such as boiling water, baking soda and vinegar, or good old fashioned plungers. Another way is to get a snake rooter called an “auger” from the store. Finally, if all else fails, you should call in a skilled plumber on how to unclog a sink. Because by this time you’ve spent enough money and time trying to fix it yourself.  But the simple tricks we will list are designed to unclog your sink. Make sure to always remove the sink strainer!

Here is the method on how to unclog a sink with chemicals. Use this only for seemingly simple clogs. Chemicals are dangerous and should be used with safety in mind. Also, chemicals can possibly damage your pipes. This is not the preferred method on how to unclog a sink, but people use it a lot for quick fixes. Go to the store and buy a “Drano” product. These are popular drain cleaning solutions in a bottle.  They have multiple products such as foam, gel, and crystals that have different strengths in how they handle the clog.

These are the natural cleaning methods. Some are arguably just as powerful as the chemical products but without the harmful side-effects for you and the plumbing. Make sure you have baking soda and vinegar. These are our two natural ingredients we will to solve the problem of how to unclog a sink. These are two cheap ingredients that you can use even after you fix your sink – they’re great for cooking too! Pour a quarter of a cup of the baking soda through the drain. Wait about 15 seconds for it to go down. Take a cup of vinegar and throw it down the drain as well. Go have a beer and wait for 15 minutes as the two react and attempt to remove the clog. Repeat this a few times if it does not clear the clog instantly. This is one of the best ways how to unclog a sink.

Next is the boiling water method. Warning, only use this if you have metal pipes! Get a big pot and fill it with water. Put it on the stove to high heat. When it starts boiling, remove the pot, bring it to the sink, and slowly pour the water down the drain. The impact of the boiling water may unclog the sink.

The other method is using a simple plunger. Get some tape and seal any drain vents in the room. Fill the sink halfway with water, put the plunger over the drain, and start plunging. Do this at a steady pace for a few minutes. See if this is solution to unclog the sink. If not, let’s move on.

The final do-it-yourself method is to go purchase a snake drain auger. This is a long coil of wire that you send down the drain. You manually twist the wire in hopes of unclogging the sink. Put the auger down into the drain. Feed it lower until you feel the clog. Pull it back a few inches, lock it in place, and begin twisting. This method should unclog the sink. If this does not work, or if the clog is actually not in the drain itself, we move onto the final method.

Call the plumber. This is the fool-proof way on how to unclog a sink. It will cost you a lot more money, but it will save you more time and hassle. Calling a plumber will get the sink unclogged the fastest, but if this is something that happens often because of your kids, it can get costly fast! Make friends with the plumber, so maybe you can get a discount on how to unclog a sink!