How To Unclog a Sink: Easy Steps To Restore Flow

Clogged sinks can be a nuisance for any homeowner. From making it more challenging to wash dishes to leading to unpleasant smells in a bathroom sink, drain clogs can be highly disruptive to your day-to-day. Fortunately, there are a variety of DIY methods that homeowners can use to clear drain clogs. In this blog, our professional plumbers at Iceberg Home Services will walk you through our top recommended methods to unclog your sink.

Signs of a Clogged Drain

The sooner you can recognize a drain clog, the better. When left unaddressed, drain clogs will only worsen and lead to more serious backups in your drain lines. To make sure you tackle your drain clogs as early as possible, keep an eye out for the following signs of a clogged sink:

• Slow-draining water
• Standing water
• Unpleasant odors
• Gurgling sounds
• Bubbles in sink

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3 Methods To Unclog Your Sink

1. Plunging the Drain

Plungers are a tried-and-true plumbing tool as they are highly effective at clearing drain and sink clogs. If you find yourself dealing with a clogged sink, follow these steps to plunge it:

1. Remove the sink stopper
2. Fill the sink with enough water to cover the plunger cup.
3. Place the plunger over the drain by pushing down one side of the plunger and rolling it around to form a tight seal.
4. Forcefully and quickly push the plunger down and pull it up several times.
5. Remove the plunger and see if the water starts to drain.

If the above steps don’t work, try a few more times. Make sure you are creating a tight seal with the plunger, otherwise the clog will not come loose.

2. Using a Drain Snake

When plungers aren’t cutting it, drain snakes are another good option for homeowners. Drain snakes can be acquired at most home supply stores and are relatively easy to use. To drain snake your sink, follow these steps:

1. Insert the drain snake into your sink drain until you encounter resistance, which means you’ve reached the clog.
2. Turn the handle of the drain snake to hook the clog.
3. Once the clog has been hooked, gently pull the drain snake back out.
4. Run water in your sink to see if it will drain.

Drain snakes can require a bit of familiarity to work, so don’t be disheartened if you don’t clear the drain clog on your first go. Get used to how the drain snake works and try again to see if you can remove the clog.

3. Natural Drain Cleaning Solutions

If you don’t have a plunger or drain snake on hand, there are natural methods that utilize many common household staples. Natural cleaning solutions are much safer to use on your drains rather than store-bought chemical drain cleaners. Some natural cleaning methods to consider include:

• Boiling water: For smaller clogs, you may be able to clear them by pouring boiling water down the sink.
• Baking soda and vinegar: Try pouring half a cup of baking soda down your sink, followed by half a cup of vinegar. Let this sit for 15 to 20 minutes and then flush with hot water.
• Salt, borax, and vinegar: Mix a half-cup each of borax, salt, and vinegar, then pour down your drain. Let this sit for upward of an hour and then flush with hot water.

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When To Call a Professional

Some sink clogs are too stubborn for DIY methods and will require professional services. If you’ve tried the above methods and your sink is still clogged, it’s time to call on the plumbers at Iceberg Home Services. We proudly serve the greater Orlando area and the surrounding areas of Central Florida. Our team has extensive experience clearing even the toughest of drain clogs, so you can trust us to get your sinks flowing freely again.

Call Iceberg Home Services today to schedule drain cleaning services in Central Florida.