How to Unclog a Drain

Guide Note

Learning how to unclog a drain isn't difficult. With a few inexpensive household items, some elbow grease and a bit of know-how, you can avoid a costly visit from the plumber by clearing drain clogs yourself. This article will show you how, without resorting to caustic chemicals, to get the job done.

Table of Contents

How to Unclog a Drain Tips
  1. Boiling water can remove some small clogs.
  2. Vinegar and baking soda works well to remove and prevent clogs.
  3. Most clogs can be removed easily by using a plunger.
  4. Stubborn clogs require the use of a plumbing snake.
  5. Almost any clog can be removed without calling a plumber.

Introduction

  • It never fails. You're getting ready for work, or for that all-important night on the town, when you sink stops up. The water sits there, not moving, and you can already picture the bill from your plumber. Before you reach for the phone, try unclogging the drain yourself. Here are four simple ideas for removing clogs. Most of them require nothing more than common household items and some elbow grease. Even better, you won't be relying on caustic chemicals to clear your drains.

Step 1: Try Some Boiling Water

(Creative Commons photo by Hey Paul)
(Creative Commons photo by Hey Paul)
  • Sometimes it's just "gunk" such as make-up, hair products, strands of hair and gobs of dried toothpaste that is stopping up the drain. The first thing you should try when trying to unclog a drain is to use a little boiling water.
  • This will only work if the sink is not backed up too badly. If there's already water sitting in the sink, skip this step and go to Step 2. If, however, your issue is that the water is draining slowly, this trick may work for you. A kettle or pot of boiling water is all you need.1
  1. Remove the drain stopper. Pull the stopper out of the drain and wipe it down. This often catches a lot of hair and lint that could be part of the problem.
  2. Boil a pot of water. A full kettle is a good idea so you'll have plenty of water to work with.
  3. Pour the water down the drain. Once the water has reached a full boil, carefully pour it directly down the drain. Pour slowly and carefully. You don't want the water to splatter and splash onto you.
  4. Allow the water to drain. Each time the water reaches the top of the drain, stop pouring and let it work its way through. When the water level lowers again, pour more in. Keep doing this until the water drains as quickly as you can pour it, and you'll have your clog solved.

Step 2: Try Vinegar and Baking Soda

(Creative Commons photo by April Killingsworth)
(Creative Commons photo by April Killingsworth)
  • If boiling water by itself doesn't do the trick, you may need to use a little more force. Add some muscle with vinegar and baking soda.2
  • Again, this method won't work if there is standing water in the sink. To clear your drain, you'll need:
  1. Pour the baking soda directly down the drain.
  2. Pour the vinegar directly down the drain.
  3. Cover the drain with a washcloth or rag.
  4. Allow the baking soda and vinegar to work for about fifteen minutes. The fizzing action will break up the clogs as the mixture works its way through your pipes.
  5. Uncover the drain and pour some boiling water down to flush the residue out of your pipes.
  • This will work on some stubborn clogs, as long as they're not too tightly packed into the pipes. It's also a good preventative measure to do this once a month or so to keep your pipes clear.3

Step 3: Use a Plunger

(Creative Commons photo by Don Stucke)
(Creative Commons photo by Don Stucke)
  • If the previous two methods don't work, or you have standing water in your sink, it may be time to reach for the plunger. It's important to note that there are two different types of plungers.4 A toilet plunger has a flange that is designed to fit down into a toilet drain and will not work for unclogging a sink. A sink plunger, or cup plunger, doesn't have this flange, and is designed to completely fit over a drain. In this instance, you definitely want a sink plunger.
  1. If there is not already water in the sink, partially fill it with water.
  2. If you have a clog in a double-basin sink, stuff a rag into the other drain.
  3. If you have a clog in the bathroom sink, stuff a rag into the overflow hole.
  4. Place the plunger completely over the drain, and plunge vigorously several times.
  5. Pull the plunger off of the drain, and see if the water starts to drain.
  6. Repeat as necessary.

Step 4: Use a Snake to Clear Stubborn Clogs

(Creative Commons photo by stannate)
(Creative Commons photo by stannate)
  1. Clear the area under the sink, and place a bucket under the P-trap, which is the curved portion of pipe under the sink.
  2. Use channel-lock pliers to loosen the nuts that hold the P-trap in place.
  3. Look in the P-trap to see if your clog is stuck inside. You can use a wire coat hanger or long screwdriver to fish it out.
  4. If your clog wasn't in the P-trap, you'll have to use the snake.8 Put the end of the snake into the pipe that comes out of the wall, and insert as much of the snake as possible into the pipe. Once you hit resistance, you'll know you've reached your clog.
  5. Once you've hit the clog, tighten down the nut at the base of the snake, and start twisting the snake.
  6. It's also a good idea to pull the snake in and out a bit as you're twisting. This action helps dislodge the clog.
  7. Once you no longer feel any resistance, your clog is gone. Simply reattach your P-trap, and you're finished.

Conclusion

  • As you can see, unclogging a sink drain takes nothing more than some elbow grease, patience and a few simple tools. Next time you face a stubborn sink full of water, you'll know what to do.

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References for How to Unclog a Drain

  1. ↑ About.com: How to Unclog a Sink
  2. ↑ eHow.com: Unclog a Sink Naturally
  3. ↑ DIY Network: How to Unclog a Sink
  4. ↑ Wikipedia:Plunger
  5. ↑ This Old House: Clear Any Clogged Drain
  6. ↑ Expert Village: How to Use a Snake to Clear a Drain
  7. ↑ Ace Hardware: Unstopping Clogged Drains, Toilets, and Sewers
  8. ↑ Wikipedia: Plumber's Snake

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