7 Ways to Unclog a Sink or Tub Drain
Employing natural methods to unclog your drains will save money and prevent exposure to harsh chemicals found in most store-bought cleaners, which could irritate eyes, lungs, skin or cause irreparable damage to pipes.
Begin with boiling water as an easy first step. Pour boiling water slowly down your drain in several stages, waiting a few seconds between each pour.
1. Boil Water
If your drain has become blocked by grease, hot water is often an effective solution to clear it away. Melting it and flushing it through pipes helps.
Just boil a kettle full of water and slowly pour it down the drain, repeating this step several times until your task is completed.
Alternatively, use a toilet-style plunger (which works better with sinks) or wire snake to dislodge any blockages and open up your drain.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is an indispensable kitchen tool that can unclog any drain quickly and effectively. An alkaline base, when mixed with vinegar (an acid), produces an explosive chemical reaction that helps dislodge gunk that’s blocked the pipes and clear them of debris.
Pour boiling water down the drain and mix with baking soda before waiting for the chemical reaction to complete; this should take approximately half an hour.
Once the foaming subsides, pour a cup of vinegar down your drain in order to flush away any remaining clogs and repeat as necessary.
3. Vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar are common household cleaning ingredients that work together to produce a bubbling chemical reaction to disassemble soap scum, hair, and grease in your drains. This time-honored combination releases carbon dioxide gas that can loosen any obstructions to flow, while flushing afterwards with hot water can flush away any leftover residues from pipes.
But this solution is often inadequate to dislodge tough clogs or break down larger debris, nor act as a surfactant like detergents do, helping water carry oil and grease away more efficiently than detergents do. Therefore, boiling water is often considered the superior choice when it comes to drain cleaning.
4. Hair Removal Tool
If the use of plunging, baking soda and vinegar or tweezers does not clear your hair blockage effectively, consider investing in a plastic drain snake made specifically to clear hair clogs from plumbing drains – these can often be found at hardware stores.
Alternatively, straighten out a wire hanger and make one end into a hook for use as a hair detector tool. Stick this hook into your drain and move it around until friction occurs; this signals there may be hair clumps nearby.
Remove and dispose of the clump of hair before flushing your drain with one liter of boiling water.
5. Plunger
A standard plunger can help when dealing with sink clogs. Place its cup over the drain and be sure that its entirety is submerged in water; apply gentle yet firm pressure while pushing and pulling on it repeatedly until your problem has been cleared up. Repeat these steps several times until your problem has been eliminated.
Try purchasing a plastic drain clog remover (available for less than $10 at hardware and big box stores) or wire drain snake to clear away clogged pipes. Simply unclip its pop-up assembly, feed clogged pipe into it a few feet of snake length, and turn to break up any obstructions.
If the DIY methods do not solve your clogged-up water supply, call in a plumber immediately before standing water threatens your home. A professional will be able to identify its source while offering long-term solutions.
6. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an efficient drain unclogger without using harsh chemicals, offering a safe and environmentally-friendly alternative that breaks down organic material including hair. Food grade 3% hydrogen peroxide is the only type that is safe to use on pipes.
Start by pouring one cup of baking soda followed by one cup of hydrogen peroxide down your drain, and allow this combination to fizz for approximately 30 minutes before flushing it with hot water. This technique may prove particularly helpful when conventional means have failed.
7. Wire Snake
If your sink drain remains slow to drain, its obstruction could be further along in its pipes than can be reached with home remedies alone. In such an instance, drain snakes should be employed.
A wire snake (also called a drum auger) consists of an oscillating coil of cable with a corkscrew end that fits down drains to help break up and remove stubborn clogs. When using one of these drain snakes, use safety goggles and rubber gloves as necessary.
Start snaking the drain at its entry into the wall to prevent impossible twists. Be patient, cranking your handle to extend your snake head from up-and-down, back-and-forth and side-to-side until the clog has been dislodged.
