How to Fix a Plugged Kitchen Sink

Unclog your drain with supplies from home.

A plugged kitchen sink can create an inconvenience when you're trying to cook, clean or wash dishes. Left unattended for too long, a plugged kitchen drain will result in odor and leave you without a usable sink. Use supplies found in most homes or garages to unclog your plugged kitchen drain so you can get back to other tasks in the kitchen.

Things You'll Need

• Towels
• Plunger
• Measuring cups
• White vinegar
• Baking soda
• Water
• Tea kettle

Instructions

1. Stuff towels into the other drain on a double sink and the overflow holes, if your sink has any, near the upper part of the sink. Plugging up all other airways assists you in removing the clog by creating pressure with a plunger.

2. Place your plunger over your kitchen sink drain. Cover the entire drain with the plunger. Vigorously move the plunger up and down over the drain. This creates air pressure in the drain and is often enough to move the clog through.

3. Run water in your sink to see if it drains properly.

4. Measure 1/2 cup of baking soda and dump it into your kitchen drain. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the drain. Allow the combination to remain in your kitchen drain for 15 minutes as it works to dissolve the clog.

5. Fill a tea kettle with water and bring it to a boil. Slowly pour the boiling water down the drain to rinse away the baking soda and vinegar as well as the dissolved clog.

Tips & Warnings

• Pour boiling water down your drain, on a regular basis, to help prevent buildup that causes clogs.

• Call a plumber if you've tried to remove the clog two to three times with no success.

References

• Earth Easy: Non-Toxic Home Cleaning

Resources

• Mervin Zimmerman: Unclog a Tub Drain