Do you ever face a situation with slow draining kitchen sink not clogged? Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Make sure your kitchen sink does not have any standing water before you pass down 1/2 cup of table salt down the drain. If the water is still not draining correctly, there might be a blockage in the P-trap, aka the elbow-shaped pipe under your sink. Twist the slip nuts counterclockwise with your fingers or a wrench and, once the slip nuts are loosened, lift away the P-trap section of pipe. Don’t worry if you can’t get it all down, the next step will do the rest of … The slow draining sink is a very common household problem, but you can fix it quite easily. Kitchen sink won’t unclog? FOG is the most common cause of slow drains and backup in home kitchens, learn more about FOG clogs. Once this trapped ball of grossness gets too big, wham, you have a slow sink drain. If you’re wondering why your kitchen sink is not draining, draining very slowly or giving off an odor, you may have a clog. Step 1: Allow your sink to drain completely. If the sink has a garbage disposal, pour in baking soda followed by a mixture of vinegar and boiling water. Pour it into the clogged drain and leave it for 20-30 minutes, then flush the drain with boiling water. There are many reasons for a drain to clog. Fill the sink 1/4 full with water and insert a plunger over the drain hole. Try to prevent the problems before it happens. Copyright © 2021 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Then position the plunger over the drain then plunges up and down vigorously for about 20 seconds and see if the water starts to drain and continue using the plunge until the clog is clear. Today, our double kitchen sink is clogged. These are usually plastic but can be chrome in older houses. Since removing the blockage often won’t take any chemicals at all, we suggest playing it safe and following the steps outlined here. Never pour grease, oil down the drain. (Keep a trashcan nearby, as you’ll need somewhere to toss whatever comes out of the drain.) The water will go down for about a minute before the side with the garbage disposal fills up and then the other side fills up. If a blockage is allowed to build up, it can lead to burst pipes and an expensive visit from a professional plumber. This is the easiest and least expensive solution of all, which makes it the best one to try first. How to fix slow draining with sink baking soda vinegar. Because of its position at the mouth of the drain and the metal “tail” that extends … If the clog isn't in the trap, it may lie in the trap arm, the horizontal drain piece … By following one of the methods below, there would be no need to call a plumber. Check the Trap Arm. Since most minor sink clogs can be cleared with a plunger, plungers should be the first option when you have a clogged or slow-running drain. With the stopper removed, insert the tip of the snake into the sink drain. Unfasten the P-Trap from the drain pipe and clear the stuck material. DON’T Add Water to a Completely Blocked Drain. Bring the water to a rolling boil. (Need to unclog a drain? Salt is a regularly used item in the kitchen that goes in almost all types of meals and drinks to enhance flavor. They are long enough to reach the clogs that are deep within a drain pipe. Don’t Call The Plumber Just Yet: 9 Ways to Unclog a Kitchen Sink Drain 1. Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide) can be used to unclog your kitchen sink. https://www.homeaholic.net/clear-slow-draining-kitchen-sink-not-clogged If your main sewer line becomes clogged or plugged, you will be left without a workable plumbing system. The best way to unclog a slow draining sink in the kitchen or bathroom is to plunge it with a sink plunger. Stop that faucet! If the stopper is covered in slimy grunge and hair, use a paper towel or rag to thoroughly clean off all of the residues. A few weeks ago, I noticed the water was draining slowly from the kids bathroom. If neither the plunger nor the cleaning of drain unclog the sink, then Plumber’s snake also known as Snake Auger can be used to report this. The culprit is generally a slimy mixture of soap scum, hair, sticky styling products, and/or thick shaving foam that has accumulated on the drain walls. Before starting, turn off the water supply to the sink and clear out any belongings stored under the slow sink drain except for a bucket directly underneath the P-trap to catch dirty water. Then follow it with the same amount of white vinegar. In many modern sinks, you can remove the stopper simply by unscrewing it; in some older sinks, though, a small tether holds the stopper in place. Get Busy With the Plunger. If long hair often ends up in the sink, cover the stopper with a plastic or wire mesh hair catcher to collect hair before it goes down the drain during your grooming routine. Once that puppy is whistling, pour your pot of boiling water down the drain. A slimy coating along the inside of the sink’s drainpipe will narrow the opening and slow drainage. Read How to Naturally Clean a Clogged Drain) The Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment. You also need to keep several other items handy such as a bucket or a plastic bin that fits under your drain, rubber gloves, and other such articles. Start with a dry sink. In most homes, the P-trap is held in place by slip nuts at each end of the curved pipe. If the clog dislodges, you should see the water in the sink quickly drain away. Pour 3/4 gallon of cold water into a bucket then add 3 cups of caustic soda and stir it well. If the dishwasher drains but the sink does not then the problem is not the vent pipe. At times, the obstruction occurs farther below the P-trap. While you might be tempted to reach for commercial drain openers right off the bat, know that these harsh and corrosive chemicals can irritate your skin and eyes and even harm old pipes. Partially fill the sink with water, then start plunging. But don’t replace the stopper just yet; wait until after you’ve remedied the partial clog with one of the following tips. Generally made of flexible plastic, this tool features a long stem with a handle at one end and small barbs at the other for grabbing onto hair and other debris inside the clogged sink drain (view example on Amazon). Boiling water. Then twist and pull until you feel it hook onto the baffle. This post is written by Qaswer amin. If the P-trap doesn’t appear to be the problem, the clog may … If cleaning the drain walls didn’t fix the problem, fish out any accumulated debris with a small hair clog tool (sometimes called a “drain-cleaning tool”). Then replace and run water through it. Washing heavy products down the drain can cause clogs, therefore, throw all the solid objects in the trash. Kitchen Sink Clogged Past Trap: How can I fix it? Plumber’s snake is a flexible auger that is used for cleaning sink and bathtub drains. Place your cup-shaped sink plunger—not a toilet plunger, which has a flange for sealing a toilet’s outlet—over the sink drain. This method is ecologically preferable and doesn’t damage your plastic pipes. Clean your sink on a regular basis and check the pipe fitting properly from top to bottom. With the stopper removed, insert the plastic line down the drain, wiggle it around, and lift it out frequently to wipe off whatever you hook. 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