Unclog a Kitchen Sink

There are lots of ways to unclog a kitchen sink. Fill the sink with some water, then use a toilet plunger over the drain. You can also pour some baking soda down the drain, followed by some vinegar. Wait 5 minutes, then pour hot water into the drain. Lastly, you can always use a cable auger. You will need to remove the water trap and insert the auger into the stub pipe.

Steps

Using a Plunger

  1. Fill the sink partially full of hot water.
  2. Position the plunger over the drain. If you have a double sink, then stuff a washcloth into the unclogged drain to ensure that the plunger's pressure is focused on the clog.
  3. Work the plunger up and down quickly. Pull the plunger off of the drain opening and see if the water starts to drain.
  4. Continue using the plunger until the clog is dislodged.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

  1. Put on a pair of rubber gloves. Use a bowl or a cup to bail standing water out of the sink. Pour the water into a bucket.
  2. Push 1 cup of baking soda down the sink drain. Use a spatula to force the baking soda into the opening, if necessary.
  3. Pour 1 cup of vinegar into the drain opening. Put the stopper into the sink so that the vinegar is forced toward the clog.
  4. Wait 5 minutes to allow the solution to work on the clog. Run warm water into the sink to see if the clog disappears.
  5. Pour 4 cups of boiling water down the drain if the warm water fails to work. If the sink is still clogged, then apply the baking soda and vinegar solution again.

Using a Cable Auger

  1. Open the cabinet beneath your sink. Place a bucket underneath the pipes to catch any water that may drain out.
  2. Detach the trap. The trap is the curved pipe that dips below the horizontal and vertical pipes.
    • Try to unscrew PVC pipes by hand.
    • If you can't unscrew the pipes by hand, then use a pipe wrench to loosen the connections.
  3. Empty water from the trap into the bucket. Check the trap for clogs and clean the trap if needed.
    • If you find the clog in the trap, reattach the trap. Turn on the hot water and see if the sink drains.
    • If the sink is still clogged, then follow the next steps to use the cable auger.
  4. Remove the horizontal pipe that connects the trap to the stub pipe in the wall. Push the end of the cable auger into the stub pipe until the auger meets resistance.
  5. Pull out about 18" (46 cm) of cable from the stub pipe. Tighten the lock screw.
  6. Crank the handle in a clockwise direction. Push forward at the same time to guide the auger deeper into the pipe.
    • If the cable catches on something, then turn the handle counterclockwise and pull the auger back.
    • If the auger meets resistance again, continue pulling the cable out and cranking the handle clockwise until the cable catches on the clog.
  7. Retract the cable from the stub pipe. Reattach the horizontal pipe and the trap.
  8. Turn on the hot water to see if the sink drains. If the water runs slowly, then use a plunger to dislodge the remains of the clog.

Tips

  • If you have a garbage disposal, fill the disposal sink with water. If you have a double bowl sink, put the stopper in the non-disposal sink. Turn on the disposal and remove the stopper. In many cases, the disposal will generate pressure to the point that it will dislodge the clog.

Warnings

  • Avoid drain cleaning chemicals. These chemicals are poisonous and can harm your pipes.

Things You'll Need

  • Plunger
  • Bowl or cup
  • Bucket
  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar
  • Pipe wrench
  • Cable auger
  • Rubber gloves

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Sources and Citations

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