In many basements, garages and laundry rooms there are floor drains that carry away wastewater from central air conditioners, washing machines, water heaters and snow-covered cars. Over time, these drains collect large quantities of soap scum, laundry lint, sand and slimy bacteria that crystallize inside the long drainpipe. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.
By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. How to Clear Any Clogged Drain. By Merle Henkenius. Pinterest Email Pocket Flipboard. Every homeowner should keep one handy. Unclog your sink without harsh chemicals. Use these household items you likely have lying around. If you're trying to drain your sink but nothing seems to be disappearing, chances are it's clogged. And while you could reach for the bottle of Drano, you may prefer a method that won't involve pouring chemicals down the drain or you just don't have time to run to the store.
The solution you need to get your pipes flowing again may already be in your cabinets. Some methods require a simple mixture, while others require some extra elbow grease and suctioning power to clear your drain.
But these methods are pretty inexpensive compared to calling a plumber. Bring your home up to speed with the latest on automation, security, utilities, networking and more. Depending on how bad the clog is, you may need to follow all of these techniques and repeat them a few times to unclog your sink.
And if your kitchen sink has a garbage disposal, try running that before you begin to grind any food that could be sitting in there It's a common reason for clogging. Here are the best ways to unclog your sink and send the stagnant, smelly water away. If your kitchen sink isn't draining, use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clear it, or plunge it. If you've got standing water in your sink, the best way to get it to go down the drain is to plunge it.
You'll need a plunger -- but preferably not the one from your bathroom yuck , so use a clean one. It's a good idea to store a small plunger beneath your sink for this very purpose. If you have a double sink, make sure you plug the other side before you begin, to keep the seal intact and to prevent any water from burbling out the other end. Place the plunger over the drain in your sink to create a suctioning effect and firmly pump up and down until the water begins to clear out. After all the stagnant water is out of the sink, run clean water down the drain to make sure it's clear.
If it isn't, you'll need to plunge again. Run a small amount of water in the sink—enough to cover the cup of the plunger. Thrust the plunger in an even up-and-down motion. The suction force of the upstroke is just as important as that of the downstroke. Maintain the seal between the rubber plunger cup and the sink surface throughout this action.
You may actually be able to feel the moment when the clog loosens, as the plunger handle may suddenly get easier to pump. If you're having difficulty getting a good seal between the plunger cup and sink basin, apply some silicone lubricant around the lip of the cup to help seal it against the bottom of the sink. Pull the plunger away from the drain opening after about six pumps of the plunger, and see if the water drains away.
If it does, you have successfully loosened the clog. If not, then repeat the process. If the drain isn't clear after several attempts at plunging, the next step is to snake the drain , a process that will require you to disassemble the drain trap.
But in most cases, you will have cleared your clogged drain without even getting your hands dirty. Once the clog is freed, run hot water for several minutes to flush any debris down the drain. This can dissolve soap scum and help prevent new clogs from forming.
Maintaining a drain plunger is a simple matter of rinsing it off after use and drying it before storing it. Never rub vaseline or another petroleum grease on a rubber or neoprene plunger cup. You can, however, wipe it down with a silicone-based lubricant to protect the rubber or neoprene. Over time, the rubber or neoprene cup on your drain plunger may grow old and cracked, which will prevent it from making a tight seal against the basin around the drain. At this point, it's time to replace this inexpensive tool.
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