Clogged bathroom sink? Use these no chemical methods to clear a drain clog. Easy ways to fix a clogged drain.
Question: My bathroom drain has issues draining. Long hair, contact lenses, soap products all go down our bathroom drain. I believe there is a blockage in the pipes under my sink. Is there an easy way to remove this blockage without calling a plumber or using chemicals?
How to unclog a bathroom sink
Answer: Step-by-step instructions to unclog the blockage in your bathroom sink. Drains that drain slowly, are stopped up, or slow to drain are a common problem. Getting your drain clear and free of blockages is an easy fix with the simple methods below.
Fixing your drain without chemicals:
1. Clean the drain stopper.
2. Clear drain with tool.
3. Use a plunger.
4. Disconnect p-trap.
5. Snake the drain.
Fix Bathroom Sink That Is Slow To Drain
Check the stopper.
Be sure the stopper is in the “fully up” position. If so, next check the stopper. The drain stopper can have hair or soap scum stuck on it. Remove it by unscrewing it and check for any gunk attached to it. Clean the stopper off and throw away the gunk in a trash can. After cleaning the stopper, run water to test if the drain is now clear. If the water runs down the drain and does not fill the sink, the drain clog is fixed. If not keep reading below…
Drain stopper – hair/soap stuck on it
REMOVE & CLEAN STOPPER TO REMOVE CLOG
Check down the drain.
With the stopper removed, you can look straight down into the drain. Remove the gunk stuck in the drain using a Drain Clog Remover Tool or use a metal coat hanger. Use a pair of pliers and create a straight line with a hook at the end with the metal coat hanger. Use the tool or hangar and slide it down into the drain. Pull up slowly and the gunk will come right out. Repeat this multiple times. Throw the gunk into the trash. After cleaning the drain, test the drain to see if the blockage has been removed. If the water flows freely down the drain, it is fixed. If the drain blockage still exists, read below…
Drain cleaning tool – Use to clean out drain
SLIDE INTO DRAIN AND REMOVE BLOCKAGE
Use a sink plunger.
A clog may be further down the drain line. If this is the case you can also try a plunger. If you do not have a sink plunger you can use a toilet plunger. Place a clean plunger directly over the drain hole. Fill the sink with water and cover the overflow hole in the sink. Plunge the plunger up and down using quick and short bursts to force air into the drain. This pushes any soap or hair clumps down and out of the drain. When the clog is forced out, the water will begin draining out of the sink. If this cleared your drain, then it is fixed, if not keep reading below…
Sink plunger – Use to unclog bathroom drain
PLUNGE UP AND DOWN TO FORCE AIR INTO DRAIN
Check the P-trap.
The p-trap is located under your sink. This part of the plumbing can hold many things that may have been dropped into the sink. Remove the items under you sink. Get a small bowl and place it under the p-trap. Wear gloves and unscrew the p-trap from the plumbing. Water will drip out so use caution. Take the p-trap and place it in the bowl that caught the dripping water. Take the p-trap and clean it out. Use a garden hose or similar to clean out the pipe. Once cleaned, reinstall the p-trap. Hand tighten the p-trap back in place and test to be sure there are no leaks. Test to see if the drain clog has been removed. If the drain is still clogged, keep reading below…
P-trap may be clogged
REMOVE P-TRAP AND FLUSH OUT
Snake the drain line.
The last resort is using a snake or a drain auger. You can get a drain snake from any home improvement store. Remove the drain stopper and feed the snake slowly down into the drain. If you feel resistance, slide the snake back out and clean it off. Keep feeding the snake into the drain until it is fully cleaned out. Run the water on hot to fully clean the drain. The drain should now be clean and clear with no clogs.
Use snake/auger to clean drain
SLIDE SNAKE DOWN DRAIN TO REMOVE THE CLOG
Tools and materials needed to unclog a sink:
– Gloves
– Bowl to catch water
– Metal hangar or Drain clean tool
– Large pliers
– Drain plunger
– Snake (Drain auger)
Tips to keep your bathroom drain clear:
- If you see hairs in your sink, throw them away before they go down the drain.
- Do not throw contact lens into your bathroom drain, they will eventually cause a clog.
- Pieces of bar soap in the sink should be thrown away so it does not enter the drain.
- Clear the drain every now and then by running hot water into the drain.
- Use a combo of salt and white vinegar and pour into the drain to prevent clogs.
Need help with a clogged blocked up bathroom drain? Let us know your slow draining issues by commenting below.
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