Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Manual removal
• Part 2 of 3: Natural resources
• Part 3 of 3: Strong chemicals
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

A clogged sink can be very annoying, but before calling an unclogging company, try to unclog the sink yourself. Manual removal works well if your drain is clogged with large clumps of debris, but you can also prepare natural drain cleaners or use a chemical sink drain cleaner to remove the unwanted debris from your sink drain. Below are the most common methods that you should try the next time you experience a clogged sink.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Manual removal

1. Remove the blockage with a straightened iron wire coat hanger. If you suspect your sink drain is clogged with hair or other solids, you could fish this out with an old straightened wire coat hanger.
   • Straighten an old iron wire coat hanger as much as possible. Bend one end slightly over so that you get a small hook that fits into your sink drain.
   • Slide the clothes hanger down the drain. Insert the hook first. Try to push the wire against the side of the drain instead of pushing it down the center of the drain. This reduces the chance that you will push the blockage even further down.
   • When you feel resistance, rotate and move the hanger to try and secure the material to the hook. Pull the wire back up to clear as much of the blockage from the drain as possible.
   • Turn on the hot faucet and let the water rinse down the sink drain for a few minutes. Make sure the water is as hot as possible and flows down the drain as forcefully as possible. If the water doesn't drain properly and stays in the sink, turn off the tap.
2. Use an unblocker (plopper) to clear the blockage. Use a regular drain cleaner to forcefully vacuum the blockage out of the drain.
   • If your sink has two drains, hold a wet cloth firmly against one of the openings to seal it.
   • Place an unblocker on the other drain and hold the stick upright.
   • Fill the sink with about 7-10 cm of water. This keeps the rubber end of the sink well on the drain, without allowing air to pass through.
   • Press down firmly on the unblocker handle, allowing the water to flow into the drain. Pull and push the plunger handle up and down vigorously for 20 seconds. Do this quickly, but keep the rubber end well covering the opening of the drain.
   • Remove the plunger from the drain after pulling the handle up for the last time.
   • You may need to do this for several minutes to clear the drain in the drain.
3. Clean the siphon (gooseneck). Often, dirt and other material remains in the siphon before it washes away further into the drain. This part of the drain is right under your sink. You can take it off and clean it by hand.
   • Place a large bucket under the siphon. This catches the water and dirt that falls from the drain when you remove the siphon.
   • Use pipe wrenches to loosen the screws securing the siphon. Then loosen them further by hand. Slide the connections apart and carefully remove the siphon.
   • Use a small wire brush to get all the debris out of the siphon. Empty the siphon in the bucket you put under it. Scrub the siphon with the same wire brush.
   • Rinse the siphon carefully with hot water. It is best to use a different sink or sink for this, as you just removed part of the drain from the sink you are working on.
   • Reattach the siphon to the drain pipes. If you see that the screws are clearly worn, replace them.
4. Run a sewer spring through the drain. If the blockage is further down the drain, you may need a sewer spring to clear the blockage.
   • Remove the siphon and the part of the drain that leads to the wall.
   • Roll out 6 to 10 inches of the sewer spring.
   • Insert the chuck of the sewer spring into the part of the drain that protrudes from the wall.
   • Turn the handle clockwise to slide the sewer spring into the drain. If you feel resistance at first, it is probably because of the bends and corners the sewer spring has to go through.
   • When you encounter a blockage, keep turning the handle until you feel the sewer spring chuck come out on the other side. There will be a lot less tension on the cable when it has come through the blockage.
   • Turn the handle counterclockwise to remove the sewer spring from the drain. Then clean the sewer spring.
   • If necessary, repeat the process until you no longer feel a blockage. Screw the siphon and the removed piece of pipe back onto the drain.

Part 2 of 3: Natural resources

1. Flush boiling water down the sink drain. Boil at least a liter of water in a kettle. After the water has boiled, flush it down the drain in two or three times, taking a few seconds breaks in between. Repeat this if necessary.
   • Flush at least a gallon of water down the sink drain. Use more water if you have a larger kettle.
   • If you don't have a kettle, you can boil the water in a saucepan or an electric hotpot.
   • You can also use the microwave to boil the water, but only heat the water in 20 to 40 second intervals. Also leave a wooden chopstick in the water while heating. Otherwise the water can get too hot and that is dangerous.
   • Pour the boiling water directly down the drain, instead of pouring it down the sink first and then slowly draining it down the drain.
   • Know that this works best for minor blockages. It may not be as effective if you have a stubborn blockage. The water should also be boiling hot when you pour it down the drain. This method works in part because of the vibrations in the water.
2. Clear the blockage with baking soda and vinegar. This baking soda and vinegar method is very effective because it creates an effervescent reaction between the two substances. This reaction is powerful and caustic enough to clear many stubborn blockages.
   • Pour 125 grams of baking soda down the sink drain.
   • Then pour 125 ml of distilled white vinegar down the drain.
   • Quickly cover the opening of the drain with a drain plug. As a result, the effervescent reaction can only go down the drain. It then gets to the clog, instead of coming up and flushing out the drain.
   • When the fizzing stops, pour another 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar down the drain. Cover the opening again and let it work for 15 to 30 minutes.
   • Boil four liters of water in a kettle or saucepan. Pour the boiling water down the drain to rinse away the vinegar and baking soda residue.
3. Pour salt and baking soda down the drain. Mixing salt, baking soda and water creates a chemical reaction that dissolves most blockages.
   • Mix 125 grams of table salt and 125 grams of baking soda together.
   • Gently pour or spoon the mixture down the drain. Make sure that as much of the mixture as possible goes down the drain itself instead of the sink. The chemical reaction will only be able to clear the blockage properly if it comes into direct contact with it.
   • Leave the baking soda and salt in the drain for 10 to 20 minutes.
   • Boil 1 to 4 liters of water in a kettle or saucepan. Carefully pour the boiling water down the drain.
   • Cover the opening of the drain as soon as possible after pouring the water in so that the effervescent reaction goes down the drain and does not come up the drain.
   • The chemical reaction that occurs should be powerful enough to release most moderately clogged drains.

Part 3 of 3: Strong chemicals

1. Pour caustic soda down the drain. Caustic soda, also called caustic soda or sodium hydroxide, is a very strong chemical that dissolves most of the blockages in your drain.
   • You can buy caustic soda at most hardware stores.
   • Dilute 750 ml of caustic soda with 3 liters of cold water in a large mop bucket. Mix the chemical and water together with a wooden spoon.
   • Do not use a container or tool that you want to use for food later.
   • Do not stir your hands to mix the caustic soda with the water.
   • The water and caustic soda should begin to fizz and heat up as you mix.
   • Carefully pour the mixture into the clogged sink drain. Let it work for 20 to 30 minutes and don't touch it.
   • Boil 4 liters of water on the stove and use it to flush the drain.
   • Repeat the process if necessary.
2. Try bleach. If you're just connected to the sewer and don't have a septic tank or IBA, you can use bleach to clear the blockage and get the drain smelling fresh again.
   • Pour 250 ml of undiluted bleach into the sink drain. Let this work for 5 to 10 minutes.
   • Turn on the tap and let the water flush down the drain. Make sure the water is as hot as possible and flushes down the drain as vigorously or quickly as possible. Rinse with water for 5 minutes.
   • If your sink fills up with water again and the water doesn't drain, turn off the faucet and let the water drain slowly before trying again to unclog the drain.
   • Do not use bleach if you have a septic tank. Bleach kills the bacteria that live in the well. These bacteria feed on the solid waste that ends up in it, preventing blockages.
3. Use a sink drain cleaner. You can buy a home sink drain cleaner at most grocery stores. Remedies based on caustic, acid and enzymes are available.
   • Read the packaging carefully to determine which sink unblocker is right for the blockage you are experiencing. Some remedies work better for a clogged bathroom sink, while others are more suitable for a clogged kitchen sink.
   • Carefully follow the instructions on the packaging when using any product.
   • A lye-based drain cleaner works through a chemical reaction caused by hydroxide ions.
   • An acid-based drain cleaner works through a chemical reaction between hydroxide ions and the material that clogs the sink. Acid-based cleaners are often more aggressive than lye-based products.
   • An unblocker based on enzymes is the least strong and works by means of enzymes that eat up organic substances.

Tips

• Freshen up the sink with a rinse of lemon juice. Lemon juice isn't acidic enough to unclog a sink, but it is a powerful refreshing agent. After you unclog your sink, there may be a strong odor coming from the drain that just won't go away. Pour 250 ml of lemon juice down your drain. This should be enough to neutralize the bad smell.

Warnings

• Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when handling strong chemicals, especially caustic soda and sink drain cleaner. If these chemicals splash on your skin, rinse it off immediately with soap and water. Get medical help right away if your skin still tingles or burns after rinsing it clean.

Necessities

• Iron wire clothes hanger
• Cloth
• Unblocker (plopper)
• Big bucket
• Pipe wrench
• Small wire brush
• Sewerage spring
• Kettle or saucepan
• Water
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• salt
• Caustic soda
• Wooden spoon
• Bleach
• Sink drain cleaner
• Rubber gloves
• Safety glasses