Unclog a Sink Drain
Sooner or later you are going to be faced with unclogging a stopped-up drain. the easiest method is to use a liquid drain opener. If this doesn't work, you may have to resort to the trusty "plumber's helper" plunger. For really stubborn clogs, you can remove the trap or use an auger.

Try a Liquid Drain Opener

When your sink backs up you can try using a chemical drain cleaner, but they are not always effective. Follow the manufacturer's directions carefully. Wear protective gloves and plastic safety goggles. These caustic chemicals must be used with caution. Your skin and eyes can be burned from contact with them.

Use Suction Plunger

First, remove the sink strainer or pop-up stopper by pulling it straight up. If it will not come out, make sure it is open as wide as possible. Stuff a rag into the overflow drain of a bathroom sink to increase the plunger suction If there isn't any standing water in the sink, run a couple of inches of water into it. Put the plunger cup over the drain and push down, then pull up sharply to dislodge the clog. Work the plunger back and forth several times and you should loosen the clog.

When the standing water runs out of the sink, remove the rag from the overflow opening. Turn on the water and allow it to run for a few minutes to wash the clog completely out of the pipe. Don't allow the water to run unattended. The sink might clog again and overflow.

Remove the Trap

A third alternative, if chemicals or plunging don't clear a drain, is to remove the U-shaped trap below the sink. Place a bucket beneath the trap and loosen the two large nuts at each end of the trap with a channel-lock pliers. Drain the water out of the trap into the bucket. Loosen the nut to remove the trap, and clean out the trap with a strong detergent. Also clean the drain opening leading out of the sink. Remove the pop-up assembly, if necessary.

Use a Trap and Drain Auger

If you cannot snag any obstruction in the drain with a coat hanger, then borrow or buy a trap and drain auger. This flexible "snake" can work its way around corners and down the pipe until it reaches the clog.

Written by the editors of HouseNet
copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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