Secrets to Unclog a Kitchen Sink

Sinks can become clogged with grease, hair and food.

Getting in on a few plumber's trade secrets can help you save money when your kitchen sink becomes clogged. Kitchen sink drains often clog due to food particles and grease that make it into the drain when dishes are rinsed and washed. When a kitchen sink clogs and you lose the use of it, every kitchen task can become more difficult. Professional plumbers are a sure bet, but also expensive. Does this Spark an idea?

Baking Soda

Baking soda expands rapidly when it mixes with vinegar. The baking soda should be sprinkled into the drain first, followed by white distilled vinegar, so the reaction happens deep inside the pipe. This powerful reaction can create a foamy substance that will push through and break-up clumps of food or grease. An added benefit to this method is odor removal. Both vinegar and baking soda have odor absorbing and freshening qualities.

Pressure

When a stubborn drain will not respond to drain cleaners, it might need some extra pressure. You can add pressure by filling the sink completely with water. This may seem like a fool's errand, but the pressure of water pushing against the clog may be enough to dislodge and break it up. Hot water is the best choice in the kitchen sink if you suspect that grease or food is the cause of the clog. The hot water will melt the grease or help breakdown food into smaller particles.

Plunger

A toilet plunger can have the same effect on a clogged drain that it does on a toilet. With enough force and repetition the clog can be forced out with the small pocket of air in the cup-shape of the plunger. This works best with some water in the sink. The water acts as a vehicle for the air to reach the clog in the form of bubbles. The plunger may need to be rapidly moved up and down to push the clog through effectively.

Plumbing Snake

A professional plumber would likely try to snake your drain before removing any section of pipe. This is something that you can do at home, however, with a simple plumbing snake. The snakes, which are long flexible augers, can be inserted in to the drain. Some snakes have motors that allow them to vibrate inside the drain, but less expensive, non-motorized models are as effective for simple clogs. The instructions should be followed thoroughly to avoid plumbing damage.

References

• The American Chronicle: Plumbing Help: 3 Great Ways to Unclog the Drain; Aaliyah Arthur; August 2010
• Drainage.net: How to Unclog Drains Using a Drain Snake; Yara Zakharia; April 2009