Bathroom Ideas

Is your kitchen sink blocked and do you want to know how to unblock a kitchen sink? This article shows you how to do it yourself! Our last article tells you how you can unblock a bathroom sink. However, it is different for a kitchen sink. Let’s have a look!

You can unblock a kitchen sink using 3 different methods:

• With a plunger
• Using vinegar and baking soda
• With a cable auger or plumbers snake

Using a plunger to unravel your kitchen sink

Firstly, let´s try to unblock a kitchen sink with a plunger.

1. The sink has to be filled with hot water until it is about 1/4 to 1/2 full.
2. Then, position the sink plunger over the drain. Make sure to remove the sink stopper or any loose parts in the sink.  If you have a double sink, then stuff a washcloth or anything that will stop the air from coming out into the unclogged drain to ensure that the plunger’s pressure is focussed on the clog.
3. At this point, work the plunger up and down quickly, for around 4 rounds with all your strength. Pull the plunger off the drain opening. Now the clogged water should start to drain, if this is not the case, repeat as many times as necessary. If you are dealing with a stubborn clog, then any of the two methods below will do the trick.

Using vinegar and baking soda to unblock your sink

If you did not manage to unblock your kitchen sink with the plunger, or you prefer other methods, you just need to look in your kitchen for vinegar and baking soda.

1. For protection, put on a pair of rubber gloves. Use a bowl or any container to empty out the water from the kitchen sink.
2. The ratio mixture is 1 cup of baking soda to 1 cup of vinegar. First, pour down the baking soda in the drain; any spills should be pushed in the opening. Put the stopper into the sink, so the vinegar doesn’t bubble up and spill out.
3. Wait a minimum of 10 minutes to allow the solution to work on the clog. Once you see the fizzy mixture has stopped bubbling, pour boiling water down the drain to clear out any residues.
4. Repeat this process until the sink has been unclogged and water runs freely.

Using a cable auger or plumbers snake

The third method we would like to suggest to you to unblock a kitchen sink is with either a cable auger or a plumbers snake.

1. Clear out the area underneath the kitchen sink, and place a bucket underneath the pipes to catch the water that may drain out.
2. Majority of clogs are in the trap of the sink or further in the plumbing of your house. So, detach the trap which is the curved piece that dips below the horizontal and vertical pieces of the siphon.
3. Try to unscrew PVC pipes by hand to avoid the material from cracking.
4. In the case you can’t do it by hand, you can use a pipe wrench or channel locks to loosen the connections and detach the trap.
5. Once you managed to detach the trap, empty the water into the bucket. Check the trap for clogs and clean as you deem necessary. White vinegar and baking soda will clean out any stubborn clogs or dirtiness. Reattach the trap to the siphon, open the tap, and see if the water flows down. If it’s still clogged, then follow the next steps to use the cable auger.

Continuing…

1. Remove from the siphon the horizontal pipe that connects the trap to the stub pipe (i.e. the water connection pipe in the wall). Push the end of the cable auger into the water connection pipe until the auger stops going forward.
2. Pull out about (46 cm) of cable from the stub pipe. Tighten the lock screw. Crank the handle in a clockwise direction. Push forward as you do this to guide the auger deeper into the pipe. If the cable catches on something, then turn the handle counter clockwise and pull the auger back.
3. If the auger stops again, continue pulling the cable out and cranking the handle clockwise until the cable catches on the clog.
4. Retract the cable from the stub pipe. Reattach the horizontal pipe and the trap. Do not tighten the plastic parts too much or they may crack.
5. Lastly, once you have managed to release the clog with the cable auger, you can refit the siphon and pour some water in the drain. If the water runs slowly, then fill up the sink part of the drain and use a plunger to remove the remains of the clog.

Good job! You have unblocked your kitchen sink. Leave a comment below if you liked the article or if you want to share your own tips on how to unblock a kitchen sink! We are looking forward to your comments!