Clogged Sink? Here’s What You Do...

Throughout the course of living within your home, you will inevitably go to your washroom and find a clogged sink. There are several methods to alleviate this embarrassing problem but there are only a couple of correct choices that you can employ. This guide will show you how to properly unclog the sink without causing damage or grief.

If you have only one clogged sink and all other basins and toilets in the house are giving you no problems then it’s safe to assume that the trouble is with one of your drains and not with the main sewer drainage line.

As I indicated previously, there are a couple of correct solutions to unclog a sink. The main solutions vary from pouring boiling water, to using a plunger, to even utilizing an auger.

Boiling Water

The main reason why clogged sinks occur is because hair, soaps, and other small obstructions accumulate on the inside lining of your piping and restrict the flow of water. If you have metal pipes then adding hot water is your best bet. When I refer to hot water, I mean it should be ridiculously boiling hot. Hot tap water will not affect the clog in any manner. Boiling hot water from the stove might be able to dissolve all the obstructions within your pipe line.

Ok now boiling hot water is an inexpensive way to fix a clogged sink but it might turn costly if you have PVC piping.  PVC pipes have a heat tolerance of 175° F and any temperature higher than that will cause softening of the joints and possible piping collapse. Remember that water boils around 212° F.

It’s fairly simple task to accomplish. Just boil water in a large tea kettle on top of a stove. When the water is boiling hot, take it to the clogged sink and slowly pour the hot water in the middle of the sink. It should dissolve it within a couple of minutes. If not, then move onto the next method; the plunger!!

Plunging in with the Plunger

Usually boiling water dissolves most clogged sinks but if it doesn’t, then the plunger is your next best bet.

When purchasing a plunger, there are two main types available in stores. They are the cup and flange plungers. Cup plungers are mainly used for sinks and tubs while flange plungers are designed to be specifically used for toilets. If you have both plungers, make sure you do not mix the two. This can be quite unsanitary and cause infections in extreme cases.

Using a cup plunger to unclog a sink is not very difficult. If the clogged sink is a lavatory sink, then you must place a piece of cloth or duct tape over top the sink overflow outlet before you begin plunging.

With the sink overflow outlet sealed, usually found on the top, you must now proceed to fill the basin halfway with water. Then you must place the plunger directly over the drain hole making sure there is a good seal against the sink’s surface.

Now comes the tricky part. With the plunger over the drainage hole and having a good seal against the sink, you must provide quick sharp plunges to try to “push” the blockage through the piping line.

After at least 5 – 10 plunges, check the hole for drainage. If not try again. If the sink is still clogged then move on to the last technique; the Sink Auger.

The Sink Auger

A sink auger is designed for clogged sink and waste lines, mainly any drainage hole except for a toilet, and is preferred by most home owners for its easy interface, inexpensive price, and remarkable unclogging ability. It works by sending a cable down, with a corkscrew type tip, through the piping to remove the clogged area by pushing it through.

First, pull out the cable end of the auger about 12 inches and guide it through the drainage hole. When you feel the tip is touching the clog, tighten the set screw.

Now turn the crank handle gently so that the cable end pushes and cuts through the stubborn clog. Continue to turn the crank handle until you feel the clog has been completely worked through.

Retract the cable and push it through one more time just to be certain you completely broken down the clog then turn on the hot water faucet to flush the remains of the clog through the piping system. You should leave the faucet on for at least 2 – 3 minutes.

Chemical Drain Cleaners

I NEVER recommend, at anytime, using chemical drain cleaners on a clogged sink. Chemical cleaners are NOT environmentally friendly, are NOT safe for the piping system in the house, and pose a threat to any individual utilizing it.

There is a whole array of different types of drainage cleaners that are comprised of different chemicals. Some contain hydro sulfuric acid, very corrosive, and some contain hydro fluoric acid, also very corrosive. If you get certain chemicals on your hand they can burn very badly and adding water only makes it worse. With certain chemicals you must add baking soda to neutralize the acidity levels while others you only need water. It is much too complicated and dangerous so I don’t use them at all.

Furthermore, chemical cleaners rarely work on stubborn clogs. It actually does more harm than good. Go ahead and purchase one. You will find that it will not dissolve any stubborn clogs and the only thing you will be left with is a sink full of toxic chemicals that needs to be emptied and lighter wallet.

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