Unclog a Sink ============= Whether it's your kitchen sink, your bathroom sink, or a utility sink, dealing with a clog can be a major inconvenience. I've compiled all the best ways to unclog your drain. Things You Should Know * Plunge the sink to loosen the clog. Simply place a plunger over the drain, fill the sink with water, then plunge up and down 20 times. * Unscrew the P-trap and use a wire brush to clean it out for large clogs. Method 1 of 2: -------------- Manual Removal 1. Option 1: Clear out the blockage with a bent wire hanger. Clear out the blockage with a bent wire hanger. Straighten out a wire clothes hanger as much as possible. Bend one end slightly to create a small hook that fits inside your sink drain. Slide the wire hanger down, hook-side first, into the drain. Once you feel resistance, twist and maneuver the hanger to try and hook the blockage. Pull the wire back up to remove as much of the blockage as possible. + Try to keep the wire pressed to the side of the drain rather than pushing it down the center of the pipe. Doing so will minimize the risk of pushing the blockage further down. + Run hot tap water from your sink and into the drain for a couple of minutes. Make the water as hot and rapid as possible, but if the sink starts to back up, turn the water off. 2. Option 2: Use a plunger. Use a plunger to loosen the clog. If you are working with a sink that has two sink drains, hold a wet cloth tightly over one drain to seal it off. Place a sink plunger over the other drain, holding it fairly upright. Fill the sink with 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) of water. Roll the head of the plunger into the water, forcing water into the drain. Pump the plunger up and down for a solid 20 seconds using a vigorous, rapid motion, but do not break the seal between the plunger and the drain. + Pop the plunger off the drain on your last vertical upstroke. + You may need to plunge the sink for several minutes in order to loosen the blockage. + If you've already used drain cleaner or another chemical, don't plunge your sink. The drain cleaner could splash back up and onto your skin. 5. Option 5: Clean the P-trap. Clean the P-trap to dislodge large clogs. Place a large bucket below the trap underneath your sink. Use slip joint pliers to loosen the slip nuts on the trap and unscrew the nuts by hand. Slide the nuts away from the connections and carefully slip off the trap. Use a small wire brush to scrap out any debris from the trap, emptying it into the bucket below. Then, rinse the trap with hot water. + The P-trap often catches debris and other blockages before they make it further into your pipes. This portion of your piping is located directly under your sink and can be removed and cleaned out manually. + Reattach the trap to the rest of the piping once it's clean. If any slip nut washers show notable signs of wear or rust, replace them. 6. Option 6: Snake the line. Snake the line to remove deep blockages. If the blockage lies deeper in the sink line, you may need to use a snake to clean it out. Remove the P-trap and any pipes that connect to the drain stub-out at the wall. Pull out 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) of snake cable. Thread the tip of the snake into the drain stub-out and tighten the setscrew. Turn the crank clockwise to feed it into the pipe. + Any initial resistance you feel is likely caused by turns and corners the snake must make. + Once you hit a blockage, continue cranking until you feel the tip of the snake cable break through to the other side. The tension in the cable will be reduced dramatically after it breaks through. + Turn the crank counter-clockwise to pull the cable out. Clean the cable as you remove it. + Repeat as needed until you no longer feel any blockage and restore your piping to its usual state. Method 2 of 2: -------------- Natural Solutions 1. Option 1: Flush the sink with boiling water. Flush the sink with boiling water. Boil at least 4 cups (1 L) of water in a kettle. After the water boils, pour it down the drain in 2 to 3 stages, pausing for several seconds in between each stage. If the sink is still clogged, try more boiling water. + If possible, flush the sink out with at least 4 cups (1 L) of water. Use more if your kettle will hold it. + Pour the boiling water directly down the drain, rather than pouring it into the sink first and letting it gradually flow to the drain. + This works best on minor clogs, but it might not work as well for a very clogged drain. 2. Option 2: Dissolve the clog with baking soda and vinegar. Dissolve the clog with baking soda and vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup (125 ml) of baking soda down the sink drain. Follow the baking soda with 1/2 cup (125 ml) of white distilled vinegar. Quickly cover the drain opening with a drain stopper. As soon as the fizzing stops, pour another 1/2 cup (125 ml) of white distilled vinegar down the drain. Cover the drain again and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes. + Boil 1 gallon (4 L) of water in a kettle or saucepan. After 15 to 30 minutes, pour the boiling water into the sink to flush out any remaining vinegar and baking soda. 3. Option 3: Pour salt and baking soda into the drain. Pour salt and baking soda into the drain. Combine 1/2 cup (125 ml) of table salt and 1/2 cup (125 ml) of baking soda. Carefully pour or spoon the combination down the sink drain. Let the baking soda and salt sit for 10 to 20 minutes. Then, pour 1 to 4 quarts (1 to 4 L) of boiling water down the drain. + Plug up the sink drain as quickly as possible after adding the water to force the reaction down into the pipes rather than up and out. + The chemical reaction produced will be enough to clear most moderately clogged sinks.