Experts have revealed the five easy ways to unblock a clogged sink - and their advice for avoiding another build-up in the future. Blocked pipes caused by build-ups of food, grease and hair can lead to drainage problems and land households with hefty bills to repair or replace damaged parts.
But clearing them can be relatively straightforward and knowing how to avoid a home disaster can save hundreds of pounds in the long run. Chetan Mankar, Operations Director of leding home emergency insurance company Smart Cover, said: “Clogged drains are one of life’s little annoyances, but sometimes the issue can be so serious that it costs hundreds of pounds to repair.
“They’re often caused by a build-up of food, grease and hair that has collected over time, making it harder for water to pass through.
“Grease in particular can be a nightmare to get rid of, but thankfully there are a few tricks to getting things moving again.
“It can be as simple as pouring hot water down the drain, a mix of baking soda and vinegar, or with a bit of elbow grease and a plunger.”
The most obvious way to spot a clogged pipe is if water is taking more time than usual to drain. A particularly bad blockage can leave the water with nowhere to go and it can cause an overflow in the sink, shower or toilet.
Sinks are known to usually have a P- or J-trap, which is meant to catch up the bigger particles to keep them out of the rest of the sink’s drainage system.
These bigger food particles get collected over time and clog the drain. Grease is the most difficult substance to clean off the kitchen sink.
Sometimes, clogs can be so serious that a plumber has to visit to carry out repairs, but often they can be fixed with a few simple steps.
Top tips to fix a clogged pipe
Clean The Drain:
Water stands in the sink only when it has continued to run after the drain is blocked.
Use a jug or mug to remove the excess, then clear the waste in and around the drain area with your hand – a task for which rubber gloves are recommended.
Use a Plunger:
Once you have determined that the drain is blocked, it is time to bring out the plunger as the kitchen sink drain cleaner.
However, experts suggest you go for a flat-bottomed plunger for the job rather than a toilet plunger. With your plunger ready, follow the steps:
- Keep filling the sink with hot water until it is half full and it creates a seal around the drain.
- Keep the plunger over the sink drain and continue to pump up and down rapidly and repeatedly.
- Take off the plunger and see if the water drains or not.
- Keep repeating the process until the water drains completely and freely.
Pour In Hot Water:
Using hot water to clear a sink blockage is one of the easiest and least expensive solutions.
Bring a kettle to the boil then pour the hot water into the sink and allow it to stand for a couple of minutes.
If the water stands there without draining, the blockage is still in place.
Repeat the process several times to move the clog. This strategy works in cleaning many other types of blockages.
The Magic of Baking Soda:
Using baking soda to clear a clogged kitchen sink is a natural alternative to chemical drain cleaners.
Plus baking soda and vinegar are everyday household items.
- First, remove the excess water standing in the sink with a small mug, then put one cup of baking soda powder inside the drain using a spoon. Push down the powder into the pipe if needed.
- Next, pour a cup of white vinegar into the drain opening.
- Keep a stopper or a lid on the drain opening to cover it and let the mixture sit for fifteen minutes.
- After fifteen minutes, remove the lid and let hot water run through the drain.
Clean The P-Trap:
There may be a block in the P-trap, i.e. the elbow-shaped pipe under the sink that particles like food, grease, hair or other dirt may have stuck in.
These particles result in a slow-draining or blocked kitchen sink. Cleaning the P-trap helps fix the clogged drain and is done by disassembling the pipe to remove the blockage.
- First, place a bucket below the pipe to catch escaping water.
- Remove the screws that connect the trap holding the curved piece to the vertical and horizontal pipe, and you will find a slip nut on either side of the P-trap.
- Remove the P-trap, clean off all the dirt, and reconnect the pipe.
- Reassemble everything and tighten it by hand, taking care not to over-tighten as this may cause a crack in the connector.
- Finally, flush off all the dirt in the sink and the pipe by pouring hot water through the drain.
Steps to Prevent Future Clogs:
It’s important that the necessary preventive measures to prevent clogs from occurring again are taken.
The most important measure is to not dispose of food or any solid items into the drain, for example:
- Oily items
- Waste food
- Meat and meat remains
- Eggshells
- Fruit remains
- Plastic papers and covers
- Sticky food items
- Paint
