Step by Step Guide on How to Unblock a Sink

What do you do when your sink blocks? Most homeowners run for a plumber and end up spending their hard-earned money. The good news is that when you know how to unblock a sink, you save your money and time. It is an easy DIY home project.

 It would be best if you used the right tools and procedures to unblock your sink successfully. If you have no clue on how to do it, this guide will enlighten you. For optimal results, use the following step-by-step procedure;

Step 1: Clean the Plughole

 Remove excess water on the sink and remove any debris on the surface. Unscrew the plughole and clean it. If this doesn’t clear the blockage, pour hot water down the drain. This will either clear the drain or create an overflow. Look for a clean old towel or piece of cloth and block any overflow.

Step 2: Use the Plunger

 If you have a plunger, it’s time to use it. If it’s a small blockage, the plunger will unblock it easily. While covering the overflow, pump the plunger up and down until you dislodge the jam.

Step 3: Use Vinegar and Baking Soda

 In case you don’t have a plunger or you’ve used one, but in vain, you can use baking soda and vinegar. You can hardly fail to have some vinegar or baking soda in your kitchen cupboard. After making your favorite recipe, you probably keep the remaining ingredients like vinegar and baking soda.

If you don’t have these ingredients, get them from the nearby store. They are also very cheap. Put some water in a cup and add a few teaspoons of baking powder. If you can’t access baking soda, use Bicarb of soda instead. Mix well and pour it down the sink’s blocked drain. Then pour a cup full of white vinegar.

Step 4: Use Hangover Cure

 If you try to use vinegar and baking soda to no avail, use the Alka-Seltzers. It removes nasty smells and mild blockages excellently. Pop a few of them down the plughole.

Then fill a cup with vinegar and pour it into the sink drain. Give it some time to act. Then turn on your sink’s hot faucet and allow hot water to run down the plughole until the blockage is gone.

Step 5: Use Biological Washing Powder

 If the hangover cure does not work, try using the biological washing powder. Scoop two spoons of it and pour it down the sink drain. Then follow with boiling water to remove any grease or fat that could have built up.

Biological washing powder comes with a great smell. It is ideal to use if there’s a foul smell from your blocked sink. It will leave your sink smelling great. In case you don’t have biological washing powder, use the soda crystals.

Step 6: Insert a Long, Slim, Sturdy Wire

 The biological washing powder may fail to work. If that happens, no need to panic. Use a robust, thin, long wire. The wire should also be flexible to follow the pipe even through the corners. Insert it as you pump up and down to break through anything that’s blocking the drainage.

Step 7: Unscrew the U-bend

 If none of the above methods works, you will have no other option but to remove the U-bend. The process may be messy and might take a little bit of your time. You will need to protect your clothes first by wearing a waterproof gown or change into old clothes.

 The sink’s u-bend part is usually in a restricted area, and reaching it is often a struggle. Wear your gloves and spread some towels on the floor under the u-bend. Also, place a bucket under the u-bend to prevent spillage. Then unscrew the u-bend using a wrench.

 You can take pictures after removing every part to help you remember when installing them back later. Then remove everything that’s clogging the drainage until the pipe is clear. You should wash the parts thoroughly before putting them back. Then reinstall the u-bend.

Conclusion

 As illustrated above, unblocking a sink either with or without a plunger is fast and straightforward. You don’t have to engage the services of a plumber to have your sink unclogged. You can do it yourself.