Learning how to unclog a bathroom sink is one of the many bathroom hacks you should know. A clogged bathroom sink never happens by chance. This is often caused by the accumulation of dirt, hair clumps, and sometimes, toothpaste.
In most cases, you do not necessarily need to call a plumber to unclog your bathroom. It is an easy task that requires little or no effort to be accomplished.
Letโs look at some of the reasons why your bathroom sink gets clogged before dive into how to unclog it.
1. Causes of Clogged Bathroom Sinks
There are different things that can make your bathroom sink completely clogged.
They include the following;
- Grease
- Hair
- Soap lather
- Broken pipes
- Grooming products
- Dirt and debris
1.1. Grease
When oil and grease sit in your bathroom sink for a long time, it makes it prone to being clogged up which results to slow drainage.
1.2.Grooming Products
There are products you should not keep close to your drain to avoid slow drainage. These products include dental floss, paper towels, and other toiletries. They clog your pipes thereby causing unsteady drainage.
1.3. Hair
When you shave, wash your face, or indulge in any activity that has to do with hair removal in your bathroom sink, you unintentionally clog your sink drain
1.4. Broken Pipes
When you discover that water is unable to freely flow through your bathroom, it could be a result of broken pipes. You can call on a professional plumber to help inspect for damages around the pipe. This might be a result of rust or corrosion.
1.5. Soap Lather
When bathing, it is inevitable for soap to form a lather. This can build up and form a blockage in your drainage sink which would obstruct the free flow of water.
2. Materials Needed to Unclog Bathroom Sink
These are the materials youโll need to help unclog your sink drain;
- Plunger
- Safety gloves
- Towels
- Drain snake
- Bucket
- Sponge
- Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Drainshroom drain snake
- Commercial drain cleaner
3. How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink
There are different ways to go about unclogging a bathroom sink. These methods will assist you in solving the problem in no time.
Weโve listed these steps to guide you;
3.1. Remove Hair Clumps
In most cases, your bathroom gets clogged as a result of clumps of hair. A popular draining tool known as Zip It can help remove hair from your sink in no time.
This is a flexible tool with a series of teeth that can help pull out hairs from your sink. Youโll just have to keep the equipment in your bathroom sink and sway it back and forth. Do this till all the hair is removed.
3.2. Baking Soda and Vinegar
This is one method that is very effective in unclogging a clogged drain. It is a very easy process to carry out. Youโll have to mix baking soda and vinegar in a bowl (1/3 cup of measurement for both).
Once this is done, pour the made solution into the drain. You should let it sit in for a while and then rinse it off with hot water after about an hour.
Repeat this process till you are satisfied with the results. This will help drain out the foreign materials and objects in your pipe. Bear in mind that chemical drain cleaners would damage your pipes, it is best to avoid them.
3.3. Using Boiling Water
Where there are soap clogs in your drain, boiling water could help melt them away. All youโll have to do is to put water in a kettle and allow it to boil for a long time.
Then, you should gently pour the hot water into the drain sink and be careful not to get burnt in the process. You can repeat this method as much as you can till you achieve your desired results.
3.4. Using a Plunger
You might think that you can only use a sink plunger to plunge toilets. You should know that thatโs entirely not true. Plungers can also be used to unclog bathroom sinks.
Follow these steps to use a plunger on your bathroom sink;
1. Once you get your plunger, remove the sink stopper
2. Using tape, tightly seal up the overflow outlet
3. The next thing to do is to place towels around the sink
4. You should place the rubber part of the plunger and pull it upwards. Do this as fast as possible for maximum results.
5. Confirm if the drain is unclogged and if not, repeat the process.
3.5. Using a Wet and Dry Vacuum
This is the best equipment to use when dealing with stubborn clogs. Youโll just have to set up the equipment using the manufacturerโs guidelines.
Once this is done, youโll have to make some sort of seal at the end of the hose that would help suck up the blockage.
The next thing to do is to switch on the vacuum to the highest setting. The force from the vacuum will help remove the clog in your sink drains.
3.6. Using a Drain Snake
This is also known as a plumberโs auger. It is a metal spiral tool you can remove to unclog debris from your sink. First, you should place towels beneath the sink and remove the p-trap.
Then insert the plumberโs snake into the wall pipe and then drill forward in the bid to remove debris from your drain. Then you can now pull out the drain snake and assemble the components of the sink.
3.7. Using a Wire Hanger
Wire hangers are not hard to find. You can either walk into a hardware store and make inquiries or scan through your closet to check for any. Since the hanger has a hook, push the hooked end into the sink and twist it to bring out debris.
You can use this tool to unclog both your bathroom and kitchen sink.
3.8. Clear Out the P-Trap
A p-trap is where dirt formed from the sin goes to reside so it is very important to clean it out. In this method, youโll need to make use of your rubber gloves. First, you should place a container beneath the p-trap and loosen the slip nuts with a plier.
Pull out the p-trap and let the water flow into the container. Using a brush, clean out the p-trap and remove any form of foreign object inside it. Once this is done, you can fasten the p-trap back to its original position.
Then you should confirm if your bathroom sink is completely unclogged.
3.9. Call a Professional Plumber
If after youโve tried out all the methods listed above and youโve made little or no progress, you should seek professional help.
There are local plumbers in could easily reach out to for help. Constantly drain cleaning would help main your p-trap and keep it in a good shape.
4. Final Thoughts
There are different approaches you can take to unclog your bathroom sink. Whether you make use of baking soda and vinegar or hot water, youโll still get your desired result. If not, your local plumber would be there to help salvage the situation.
We hope youโve learned how to unclog a bathroom sink. Kindly leave a comment below. Best regards!
Last Updated on by ritukhare
