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Clearing a Clogged Bathroom Sink


Silver Post Medal for All Time! 267 Posts
January 17, 2019

A slow draining sink.My bathroom sink had been draining slowing for a while and it was finally time to figure it out. I found a recipe on ThriftyFun for homemade Drano, using salt, baking soda, vinegar and water. It didn't go quite as planned but we were successful in the end.

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Link: Homemade Drano

Steps:

  1. First, I added 1 cup of plain salt, pouring it down the drain and letting it mound up. I then put a cup of baking soda on top of the pile.
  2. A pile of salt and baking soda piled in a sink drain.
     
  3. Next, I added 1/2 cup of vinegar. I used apple cider but white would work just as well. It foamed up for a while.
  4. Adding vinegar to the baking soda and salt cause the mixture to foam up.
     
    Adding vinegar to the baking soda and salt cause the mixture to foam up.
     
  5. This is after boiling water was added to the drain. I used a full electric kettle, probably about 2 quarts. I was a bit concerned about the porcelain cracking, as is reported sometimes with toilets. I think it is the temperature difference that causes the porcelain to expand. But the sink seemed fine.

    The initial water is yellow because of the apple cider vinegar but later is due to the clogged pipe. The boiling water would also make it foam up.
  6. Adding boiling water to help clear blocked drain.
     
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  7. I let it sit for about an hour and then repeated the process as it was obviously doing something. Nearly all the water had drained out but there was a lot of gunk that had bubbled up. I had an appointment that afternoon so I figured I would leave it and deal with it when I got home.
  8. A collection of dirt and drain flies that came up from the drain as it cleared.
     
  9. Somehow, the sink looked WORSE when I got home. It hadn't drained nearly as much as the first time and wasn't draining at all now. It was also disgusting, with dead drain flies and rusty colored sludge. My husband had left for work but there was evidence that he had cleaned up some new mess in the bathroom. I got out the plunger to see if I could unblock it and discovered what mess he must have cleaned up. Water shot directly out of the overflow drain all over the backsplash. He was at work until late and I have little plumbing experience so I decided to leave it until he got home and discuss it with him later.
  10. Clearing a Clogged Sink Drain
     
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  11. Hours later, the water level looked basically the same. I was inclined to go and buy a plumber's snake but my husband recommended removing the P-trap under the sink first. If the blockage was past the trap, we could then snake farther down the pipe.
  12. The sink is not draining the next morning.
     
  13. We first placed a dishpan and towel under the sink, to catch the water that was definitely going to drain out.
  14. Placing a dishpan under the ptrap to catch any liquid.
     
  15. The P-trap simply unscrewed, requiring no tools. I probably would have attempted this the night before had I realized how simple it was. The gross dirty water all dumped down into the dishpan.
  16. A dishpan full of dirty water and clogged hair.
     
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  17. There was a sizeable chunk of hair in the trap, as you can see. I have long hair and both of my teenage sons do as well. We also have a dog that sheds everywhere. I suspect they have not been too careful about making sure the hair doesn't get in the drain and it accumulated. It probably was mostly on the sides of the drain before I used the homemade Drano.
  18. A large wad of hair that has been removed from the drain.
     
  19. Once everything was back together, the sink drained perfectly. I'm going to use the homemade Drano recipe on a regular basis to keep this from getting clogged again. I also did my bathtub at the same time, just in case.
  20. Placing thread seal tape on the threads before putting the ptrap back together.
     
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  21. Next, I need to bleach the worn porcelain, which has some dirty yellow spots. I'm planning on painting the sink and replacing the faucet, which we purchased months ago. I will post about that when it gets done (assuming it turns out).
Clearing a Clogged Sink Drain
 
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January 19, 2010

How can one clear an extremely slow bathroom sink drain without using caustic chemicals?

By Jay from Reston, VA

Answers

January 19, 20100 found this helpful
Best Answer

Try with a mix of :
2 cups water + 1/4 cup vinegar + 2 Tsp. soup
Mix in a bottle and spray into the sink hall

 

Silver Post Medal for All Time! 418 Posts
January 20, 20100 found this helpful
Best Answer

Pour some Dawn dish detergent in the drain. Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Follow it with a kettle of hot water and use the plunger.

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Put your finger in the air vent or plug the hole so the plunger can get suction. Works for me!!

 
January 21, 20100 found this helpful
Best Answer

Thanks to all for their suggestions. I tried the vinegar and baking soda and detergent and hot water ideas to no avail because the drain was too far gone. Finally had to use the pipe wrench solution and clean out the trap by hand, which was filled with thick black sludge. I will try the suggestions for keeping the drain clear now!

 
January 21, 20100 found this helpful
Best Answer

Hi, at your hardware store ask about a product that is a long flexible plastic rod that has little upward teeth on it. All you do is stick this down your drain and pull up. It is unreal what you will pull up, works great and no chemicals. Sorry i cant remember the name of it but they will know what you are talking about at the hardware store. Have a great day..Deby

 
January 23, 20100 found this helpful
Best Answer

I keep a plunger used only for my sinks. I usually put some Dawn or another grease cutter and add boiling water. After a few minutes, I use the plunger and it has always worked for me. I hate using chemicals.

 
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December 12, 2011

How does one unclog a bathroom sink in which the stopper cannot be removed from the sink?

By BF

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January 28, 2011

My bathroom sinks keep clogging up, repeated use of Drano is not working. Help!

By Icu3 from Columbus

Answers

January 28, 20110 found this helpful
Best Answer

Try a foaming drain cleaner. One that says it will remove hair and sludge (gunk) such as liquid plumber.
Good luck.

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 846 Posts
January 28, 20110 found this helpful
Best Answer

It's really easy, I promise! Being that it's a bathroom sink it's probably just hair with gunk buildup clogging it. In most cases the clog is just within an inch or so below the sink level. Instead of continuing to use chemicals, especially if the pipes are not PVC, just remove the sink draining stopper, take some sort of heavy duty wire (like a wire clothes hanger) and make a small fish hook style hook at one end of the wire and then put it down the drain and start pulling the hair and gunk out. If it's one of the kind of sink stoppers that you can't get removed by turning and lifting then you'll just have to have a little more patience with maneuvering the wire down and back out with the hair and gunk build up. Take a deep breath if you have a weak stomach when you see whats doing the clogging. ;-)

 
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March 13, 2014

My bathroom sink is clogged. I plunge it. It drains like a tornado. Next time I use it, it is clogged again. I have also tried drain cleaners and a snake. Now what?

By SP

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January 26, 2015

I have plunged, used a zip with teeth, used Draino, and even "Liquid Lighting" (virgin sulfuric acid with 12 buffers) the drain won't drain.

By Cheryl R.

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January 8, 2010

How do I unclog a drain?

By Laurie

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Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 109 Feedbacks
January 8, 20100 found this helpful
Best Answer

A plumber once told me if you can't clear out a drain with a plunger you need a plumber.

A bathtub normally has a trap that collects gunk going through the drain. If you can access the trap you can clean it out and your problem is solved.

A sink clogs in the pipe that is shaped like a sideways S. Sometimes this pipe is connected with easily turnable tabs/nuts and you can clean out the clog after removing it and easily put it back. It usually makes a mess when you remove it so put down some towels.

 

Silver Post Medal for All Time! 288 Posts
January 14, 20100 found this helpful
Best Answer

Just this week I had the kitchen sink/garbage disposal side, back up. I poured a cup of baking soda ( in both sides of the sink ) followed by about 3-4 cups of white vinegar( I just poured if from the gal. jug) in the water that was standing there and turned on the hot water and garbage disposal and that worked right away. I let the water run in the disposal and then poured a couple of tablespoonsful of liquid dish soap with it.
Worked and No Plummer bill. GG Vi

 
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November 28, 2013

How do I unblock a bath\bathroom sink when water comes back up the bath plughole and smells disgusting?

By Mags

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May 2, 2016

My son dropped FLARP noise putty down the bathroom sink! Should I do anything to help remove it or should it be okay to leave the sink alone?

Should I go out and buy Draino or something? Maybe pour vinegar down the drain?

Answers

May 5, 20160 found this helpful

This will clog your drain. But White vinegar full strength should dissolve it.

 
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