How to fix bathroom sink clog

How To Unclog Your Bathroom Sink Drain: 8 Methods

Wondering how to unclog a bathroom sink? Don’t worry – Western Rooter & Plumbing will show you how to fix your clogged sink in no time at all!

Is your bathroom sink clogged? A clogged bathroom sink is one of the easiest plumbing problems to resolve! All you need is a little bit of knowledge, the right tools, and the willingness to get a little dirty. In this post we will take a look at the most popular and effective ways to unclog your bathroom sink. Unclogging your clogged bathroom sink doesn’t have to be tough (and definitely shouldn’t require you to spend all day!). Ranging from simple chemical solutions (like vinegar and baking soda) to more advanced ones, like snaking your drain, after reading this article you’ll understand a bit more about how sinks work and how to unclog your bathroom sink drain.

Tip: Do you have a stubborn sink clog that keeps coming back? Maybe the problem runs a little deeper than you’d expect. Check out this article on why you should get a sewer line camera inspection & the cost of sewer line inspections.

What causes sink clogs?

Hair: Washing your face, shaving, and other activities that involve shedding hair over your bathroom sink can be dangerous for your sink drain!
Grease: Oil and grease can build up on inside surfaces inside your bathroom sink over time making them more prone to slow drainage or even completely plugging up.
Toiletries & other debris: Things like cotton swabs, dental floss, paper towels (which should never be in your drain in the first place!), etc., all contribute to slower draining sinks by adding bulk to the pipes.
Soap & soap scum: If you encounter a clogged bathroom sink, chances are the culprit is your soap. Liquid bath soaps create suds that go down the drain and build up in pipes, creating blockages in no time!
Something stuck further down the line: Your bathroom sink drains down into your sewer line, and if there’s an obstruction further down the line, then it’s not going to be an easy fix.
Damaged pipes: If your bathroom sink drains slowly or not at all, then a damaged pipe or pipes could be the culprit. To determine whether or not this is the case, calling a professional plumber may be the best option.

What tools do I need to unclog my bathroom sink drain?

Clearing your bathroom sink drain doesn’t require much – just these simple items:

Drain snake or auger (snake for sinks)
Plunger
Bucket & sponge
Trash can with lid
Gloves & safety goggles if desired (not required!)
Rags & towels (things might get messy!)

How do you unclog a bathroom sink drain?

Here are 8 things you can try today to fix your clogged bathroom sink drain. If you’re not comfortable performing any of these steps, please call Western Rooter & Plumbing to get a professional plumber down to your house ASAP to fix your clogged sink drain immediately!

1. Use a “Zip-It” drain cleaning tool to remove hair clumps

9x out of 10, bathroom sink drain clogs are caused by clumps of hair. If this is the case, then a “Zip-It” drain clearing tool should do the trick before even needing to get into the next several steps!

A “Zip-It” drain cleaning tool is a flat, thin strip of plastic that is flexible and has a series of teeth on it – just place the tool inside your bathroom sink drain as far as possible (don’t worry if you can’t get past the clog at first), rock it back-and-forth to loosen up any hair or other debris building up in your pipes, then pull out slowly.

You should repeat this several times. Each time, you may see more and more hair being pulled up from the drain. Repeat until you can stick the tool into the drain and pull it out without seeing any more hair on it.

2. Pour boiling water into the sink drain

Next, try pouring boiling hot water into the sink drain. This should be enough to melt through anything in your drain and clear out any clogs.

To do this, simply boil up a pot of water on the stove. After it’s boiled, carefully pour the boiling hot liquid into the sink drain – making sure not to touch it with your hands! If you can’t get close enough because there aren’t handles or sidewalls on your bathroom sink, then try using a turkey baster instead. This should unclog most drains right away… if not immediately after pouring in hot water, give it some time before trying again.

3. Try using vinegar & baking soda

If the hot water didn’t fix the problem, then the next step is to try using vinegar and baking soda to fix the clog. The chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda will clear out your clogged sink in no time, and here’s how to do it:

Pour ~½ cup of baking soda into the drain. Pour enough vinegar on top of the baking soda that you can see it start bubbling up around the sides of the drain. Let this sit for a few minutes – if possible, leave it overnight to ensure maximum effect! If needed, give your solution another shot after letting it sit.

Note: You might want to try using a funnel when performing this step to make sure no chemicals spill onto your countertop!

4. Try plunging the clogged drain

Did you know plungers aren’t just for toilets? You can use a plunger on your bathroom sink drain to clear out clogs! To do this, simply place the rubber part of the plunger over the top of your drain opening. Push down firmly using both hands, then pull back up to suck obstructions upwards. Give it some time before repeating if needed – and be careful not to push down too hard, as you could damage the pipes if they are old enough!

5. Take apart your P-trap and clean it

The P-trap is the curved section of pipe under your sink. If you can reach it, pop off the P-trap and clean out any hair or debris that may have gotten lodged in there over time!

To do this, simply twist the plastic nut holding down your P-traps on either side of your bathroom sink drain until both pieces are detachable. Once removed, use a small bucket to catch dirty water while washing your pipes with soap & hot water – making sure to get all areas including inside the bend underneath.

Don’t put your P-trap back together just yet, though… there’s one more thing you should try to do to clear your sink drain:

6. Use a drain snake (or a plumber’s snake) to snake your drain

A drain snake – also commonly called a plumber’s auger, plumbing snake, drain auger, or just an auger – is a long metal spiral tool that you thread down your drain to unscrew any clogged debris inside. One side of the snake is shaped like a corkscrew, and the other side has a hand-crank that is used to drill it through obstructions. This is a great option if the previous methods haven’t worked!

Since you have your P-trap removed still from the previous step, go ahead and carefully insert your drain snake into the pipe in the wall where your P-trap used to be attached. Turn the crank to drill forward and, hopefully, unclog any debris inside.

Now re-attach your P-trap and check to see if things have cleared up. If they haven’t, then you should move on to the next step.

Note: We have written an in-depth article talking more in-depth about how to use a drain snake, so give that a read here.

7. Call a plumber!

If you’ve gotten this far, then the problem is most likely so far down the line that you can’t reach it with a traditional drain snake. This means it could be invasive tree roots that have grown into your pipes in search of water and minerals. If this is the case, then you should call a plumber to unclog your bathroom sink drain for you.

Clogged sink drain? Western Rooter & Plumbing can help.

Western Rooter & Plumbing specializes in removing tree roots from drain pipes (hence the “Rooter” in our name!) – so shoot us a message or give us a call if you suspect that a nearby tree is the cause of your plumbing woes! We will send a plumbing technician to your residence to inspect your bathroom sink drain and see if we can’t root out the underlying problem.

How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink

Knowing how to fix a clogged bathroom sink may depend on what’s clogging it. You can flush soap scum clogs with vinegar and baking soda or tweeze hair. For bigger clogs in your bathroom sink, a plunger or drain snake works best. Figuring out why your bathroom sink is not draining is the first step towards unclogging it.

Below are six methods that address a clogged bathroom sink drain. Most of these apply to kitchen sinks and showers drains too. Roll up your sleeves and get started. If your bathroom sink fills up with water and won’t budge, your Los Angeles plumbing experts are always on hand to help.

Why is my bathroom sink clogged?

There are four common reasons for most bathroom sink clogs. Figuring out which one of these problems you have will give you a good starting point. Look for:

Clumps of hair

When hair enters your sink drain it clumps together and gets stuck on the walls and tangled in the drain’s components.

Use long tweezers or a zip-it tool to remove hair. If neither works, try disassembling the whole drain. (see “clean the p trap” below)

Once you learn how to unclog a bathroom sink clogged with hair, install a preventative screen over your sink and shower drains to minimize the problem going forward.

Soap scum

Soap scum is especially prevalent if you have hard water. It can build up in your pipes over time and foster mold and mildew. If your bathroom sink is clogged with a black sludge, try the method below.

Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain or use baking soda and vinegar to dislodge built up soap scum. If it still doesn’t budge, plunge with warm water.

Something stuck in p-trap

The p-trap is the curved pipe beneath your bathroom sink that connects your sink drain to the wall pipe. It prevents harmful sewer gasses from coming up through the drain.

Disconnect your bathroom sink p-trap and clean out the hair, sludge and any large items that may have gotten stuck within (see details below). You may want to wear rubber gloves.

Damaged pipes

Rust, corrosion, and other common pipe damage can lead to a slow drain or a clog over time.

Replace old, rusted pipes before they become bottled necked with debris. Plunge or snake them for temporary relief. Have a professional plumber assess the condition of your pipes.

Unclogging your sink

Once you’ve diagnosed why you have a bathroom sink clog, try the method we recommended for your problem above. If you can’t figure out what your drain’s problem is or if your sink still isn’t draining, then try each of these methods in the order listed.

Note: Never use chemical drain cleaners. They can damage your pipes.

1. Baking soda and white vinegar

Unscrew the drain cover and remove the sink stopper.
Measure out a ½ cup of baking soda and 1 cup of white vinegar.
Sprinkle the ½ cup of baking soda into the drain.
Pour the cup of vinegar down the drain.
Let the mixture sit in the drain for several minutes, until fizzing stops.
Rinse hot water into the drain.
Repeat the process up to three times.

2. Fix a hair clogged drain

Remove the stopper.
Use a flashlight to look down the drain.
If you can see hair, use long-nosed tweezers to retrieve it directly.
If you can’t see hair, use a zip-it tool or bend and insert a wire hanger to retrieve it.
Slide the tool up and down the drain as far as it will go naturally. Don’t attempt to force it.
Push the tool in at different angles. Try to move it around the drain to catch more hair.
Repeat the process several times, rinsing with hot water as necessary.

3. Bathroom plunger

Use a cup plunger.
Remove the stopper.
Seal the sink overflow outlet with tape or a rag.
Place towels or rags on the floor around the sink.
Fill the sink with warm water.
Use the plunger’s cup to create an airtight seal over the drain.
Pump the plunger’s seal up and down several times with quick, sharp movements.
Test the drain to see if you’ve cleared the clog.
Repeat several times as necessary.

4. Clean the p-trap

Put a bucket under your p-trap and wear rubber gloves.
Loosen the slip nuts by hand or with pliers as necessary.
Wiggle the p-trap free and dump the water into the bucket.
Remove objects and sludge lodged in the trap.
Clean the p-trap with a bristle brush.
Tighten the p-trap back in place and test the drain.

5. Snake – for bathroom sink clogged past trap

Use an automated drain snake (called plumber’s snakes or plumber’s augers) if possible.
Place towels or rags beneath the sink.
Remove the p-trap.
Thread the snake into the wall pipe manually.
Uncoil the snake using the handle to navigate bends.
When you reach the clog, rotate the head up-and-down and back-and-forth.
Pull the snake out and reassemble the sink components.
Test the drain.

6. Dissemble the drain

Follow these directions to remove your sink drain. Replace old or corroded drains with a new one. A new drain can help your sink smell fresh again.

Bathroom sink plumbing for Los Angeles’ worst clogs

We hope you’ve learned how to clear a bathroom sink drain. If you’ve tried everything and are still up to your elbows in water, contact the pros at Mike Diamond. Some sink clogs are stubborn or so far down your line that they require extra finesse and professional tools. We know how to dislodge these tough clogs and get your drain flowing again.

How to remove blockages in the sink, sink and bath.

Author:Pyotr MyshakPublished:11/23/2016 Tags:BathroomSewage blockageSiphonWashbasin

In previous articles, we have already dealt with issues such as clogged sewer pipes and clogged toilets. In this article, you will learn how to clear a blockage in the sink and in the bath.

Removing blockage in the sink (sink)

If the water drains badly in the sink, the first thing to start with is to revise the siphon. These are the most frequent and most "simple" blockages. The reasons for blockage can be different: in the kitchen, the siphon is clogged with grease and food residue after washing dishes, in the bathroom - with hair and soap. nine0003

In some cases a little plunger work is sufficient. To do this, you need to fill the sink (sink, bathtub) a little with water, close the overflow (if there is one), press the plunger against the drain hole (so that air comes out and a vacuum forms) and pull it towards you. Practice has shown that it is better to “suck out” the blockage towards yourself than to push it forward (this can lead to compaction of the blockage).

If the plunger failed to break through the blockage, proceed to the next step - disassembling and cleaning the siphon. nine0003

Siphon assembly principle

The siphon can be dismantled very easily. To do this, it is not necessary to resort to the services of a plumber, unless, of course, you have an old cast-iron or expensive siphon that is problematic to disassemble without a special tool. It is usually made of plastic and is connected using threaded connections that can be unscrewed by hand.

Some water may remain in the siphon. Before disassembly, do not forget to substitute a container to drain it and put floor rags. nine0003

If, nevertheless, you have a cast-iron siphon installed under the sink, you cannot do without a plumbing cable.

Please note that the cable must be flexible enough to pass the bend in the siphon and stiff enough to break through the blockage.

If, after cleaning the siphon, the water still leaves badly, the blockage is in the pipeline after the siphon connection point. We got acquainted with ways to eliminate blockage in the sewer pipeline earlier. nine0003

Unblocking bath and shower

Bath siphon is a bit more difficult to disassemble due to limited access. In addition, the design of the bathtub siphon is slightly different from the design of the sink siphon.

But on the other hand, due to the specific design of the siphon, it is not necessary to disassemble it for cleaning - the blockage can be broken through with a cable, passing it through the neck.

Hair is the most common cause of clogged tubs. Hair will be better wound on a cable if its tip is loosened like a small brush. nine0039

Now on sale there are special rubber brushes that allow you to clear blockages without disassembling the siphons. With the help of such devices, you can independently get rid of the blockage in a matter of seconds.

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How to clear a blockage in a sink

Contents

How to clear a blockage in a sink
How to clear a clogged drain in the bathroom or kitchen
How does YouDo work?

Unfortunately, plumbing problems are one of the most common problems in the modern home. But in order to solve some of them, it is not at all necessary to seek help from professional plumbers. One such problem that occurs most often is the problem when the sink or pipe in the bathroom is clogged. What to do in such a situation?

You can clear the blockage in the sink yourself. To do this, you must read the instructions below, which is a guide to action. nine0003

How to clear a blockage in the sink

There are several basic methods that allow you to clean the sink quite quickly without the help of a professional plumber. The sink can become clogged in both the kitchen and the bathroom. The methods for clearing a blockage in a sink do not depend on where the sink is clogged. So, what to do in this situation:

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In order to clean the sink quickly and efficiently, you can use a plunger. This is an old and time-tested remedy. It is necessary to firmly press the rubber tip of the plunger to the place where the blockage has formed, holding the plunger with both hands by the wooden handle. With sharp movements up and down (without tearing off the rubber tip from the pipe in the sink), try to clear the blockage. The garbage that can be removed from the pipe must be collected by hand, after putting on rubber gloves; nine0058
Another way to clean a clogged sink is to unclog your kitchen or bathroom sink with modern specialized products. Given the fact that these detergents contain various chemicals that will help if the sink is clogged, but will have a negative effect on human skin, all operations with these products must be done with rubber gloves. It is very convenient that this operation can also be done for preventive purposes, at least 1-2 times a month; nine0058
if the pipe in the sink is clogged, you can use various folk remedies. The most effective and common recipe: 1 tablespoon of washing powder and 1 tablespoon of soda are poured into the drain hole of the sink, then you need to pour 2-3 tablespoons of food vinegar there (apple vinegar will not work), wait 15-20 minutes and rinse with hot water . Very often, this recipe helps if the sink is not very clogged;
if none of the above methods help, do not despair. The easiest way out is to seek help from plumbers who cooperate with the Yudu website. These are real professionals who perfectly know what to do if the pipe in the bathroom or the sink in the kitchen is clogged. nine0058

How to clear a clogged drain in a bathroom or kitchen

A clogged drain in a bathroom or kitchen can be a serious problem that needs to be addressed immediately. Here are some fairly simple methods to clean the pipes in the house yourself:

as in the case of a clogged sink, you can use a plunger. The scheme for cleaning the pipe is practically no different from what is done if it is necessary to clean the sink. After the blockage is pierced with a plunger, it is necessary to turn on hot water and flush the pipe for 5-7 minutes with a continuous descendant of flowing water nine0058
you can use a mini plumbing cable. This is a metal flexible cable, on one side of which there is a convenient handle, and on the other - a brush for clearing blockages. With the help of a plumbing mini-cable, you can free the pipe from the debris accumulated there, even in a place that is inaccessible for cleaning by other methods;
You can also use chemicals. But in this case, it must be remembered that all operations with such cleaning products must be carried out with rubber gloves and a medical gauze mask. The fact is that absolutely most of these funds can cause an allergic reaction or burns in a person if the product gets on the skin. Safety precautions must be strictly observed. nine0058

All products that are used to clean pipes should not fall on the surface of plumbing, they can damage it. Care must be taken to ensure that chemicals enter directly into the pipe. After using them, you need to rinse the pipe with a continuous stream of hot water for 3-4 minutes.

If the blockage is serious, you should seek help from the performers of the site Yudu. These are real masters who will cope with any blockage of complexity very quickly. The high quality of the services provided and affordable prices are the main distinguishing features of the work of specialists cooperating with the Yudu service. nine0003

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