Bigpineguy Retired
10-23-2011, 07:37 AM
How To UnClog A Sink Drain First, let me start out by saying that I’m not a Plumber nor do I play one on TV. Heck, I haven’t stayed in a Holiday Inn recently either. I’m just an Average Joe who’s had to unclog sink drains in my time. Okay, let’s say you’re in a hurry one morning and getting ready to go to work, or you’re fixing to leave for a night on the town and you suddenly notice that your bathroom sink drain is clogged! If you’ve never done this before, you’re probably wondering how to unclog a sink drain!
Don’t panic. There are several easy ways to unclog a drain. Here are a few of my personal favorites that have worked like a charm over the years.
Using a Plunger We’ll start with assuming that the clog is in the trap section of the drain. This is the part that dips down and forms a “P”. If this is the case, then most of the time a good ole plunger will work.
Before using the plunger, make sure you have some towels on the floor and around the sink. Also, it’s a good idea to have some old clothes on. Sometimes using a plunger can get messy and you wouldn’t want to get “something” all over your good clothes.
The plunger works just like you’ve always seen it work. Press down slightly until the plunger gets a seal on the sink bowl. Then give a moderate downward shove, being careful to not use too much force as it may push water out of the bowl. (hence, the importance of the towels)
You be the judge as to how much force to use when pushing downward. It’s important to keep a good seal around the edges of the plunger. There’s no need to break the suction by lifting the plunger clear each time.
What this does in effect is to push the clog until it hits a larger drain or until the pressure destroys the clog.
Using a drain auger. A drain auger or drain snake as some call it is nothing more than a flexible piece of metal that is worked down the drain. You can buy these commercially at nearly any hardware or big box store. If the trap is not far from the drain opening, you may be able to use a straigtened wire clothes hanger.
To use either, you simply work them down the drain until you feel the clog and start turning. Either the clog will give way or you’ll wrap it around the end of the auger. If you end up wrapping it around the end of the drain auger, simply pull it out.
Using Drain Clearing Chemicals I don’t advocate the use of drain cleaning chemicals. They are very dangerous and I’d rather go the the extra trouble of taking a drain apart and unblocking it rather than using a chemical drain cleaner.
If you do deccide to use them, I’ll just tell you this. Wear safety glasses, rubber gloves and some type of protective clothes. And above all, read and follow the directions!
Preventing Drain Clogs In my house, the best way to unclog a drain is simply not allow them to happen in the first place! Prevention can go a long ways in keeping a sink drain clean.
For starters, if you or someone in your home sheds hair like a dog, then keep it cleaned out of the sink! I know that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people try and wash loose hair down the drain. It might work a time or two, but likely all you’re doing is causing a buildup in the drain.
Next, don’t let people pour food, grease or other items down the sink. This is what Garbage is for! Most sink drain clogs can be prevented if you’ll just follow these few simple tips. Then you won’t have to worry about learning how to unclog a sink drain!
Don’t panic. There are several easy ways to unclog a drain. Here are a few of my personal favorites that have worked like a charm over the years.
Using a Plunger We’ll start with assuming that the clog is in the trap section of the drain. This is the part that dips down and forms a “P”. If this is the case, then most of the time a good ole plunger will work.
Before using the plunger, make sure you have some towels on the floor and around the sink. Also, it’s a good idea to have some old clothes on. Sometimes using a plunger can get messy and you wouldn’t want to get “something” all over your good clothes.
The plunger works just like you’ve always seen it work. Press down slightly until the plunger gets a seal on the sink bowl. Then give a moderate downward shove, being careful to not use too much force as it may push water out of the bowl. (hence, the importance of the towels)
You be the judge as to how much force to use when pushing downward. It’s important to keep a good seal around the edges of the plunger. There’s no need to break the suction by lifting the plunger clear each time.
What this does in effect is to push the clog until it hits a larger drain or until the pressure destroys the clog.
Using a drain auger. A drain auger or drain snake as some call it is nothing more than a flexible piece of metal that is worked down the drain. You can buy these commercially at nearly any hardware or big box store. If the trap is not far from the drain opening, you may be able to use a straigtened wire clothes hanger.
To use either, you simply work them down the drain until you feel the clog and start turning. Either the clog will give way or you’ll wrap it around the end of the auger. If you end up wrapping it around the end of the drain auger, simply pull it out.
Using Drain Clearing Chemicals I don’t advocate the use of drain cleaning chemicals. They are very dangerous and I’d rather go the the extra trouble of taking a drain apart and unblocking it rather than using a chemical drain cleaner.
If you do deccide to use them, I’ll just tell you this. Wear safety glasses, rubber gloves and some type of protective clothes. And above all, read and follow the directions!
Preventing Drain Clogs In my house, the best way to unclog a drain is simply not allow them to happen in the first place! Prevention can go a long ways in keeping a sink drain clean.
For starters, if you or someone in your home sheds hair like a dog, then keep it cleaned out of the sink! I know that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people try and wash loose hair down the drain. It might work a time or two, but likely all you’re doing is causing a buildup in the drain.
Next, don’t let people pour food, grease or other items down the sink. This is what Garbage is for! Most sink drain clogs can be prevented if you’ll just follow these few simple tips. Then you won’t have to worry about learning how to unclog a sink drain!