Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Do not allow grease, oil or coffee grounds to run down the drain or go through the disposal. If that doesn’t work, try using baking soda and white vinegar. Thanks. The heat from the water should help break up the clog. If both sides of your kitchen sink are filling up with water, clog up the sink drain on the side without the disposal. Simple trick using a toilet plunger and a wet towel to unclog a clogged kitchen sink drain! Take one cup of baking soda and push it down the clogged drain with a spatula. I have one that I bought at Walmart for less than $20. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then flush with hot water to clear the mixture. I let it set. If the sink still doesn’t drain, there’s a clog farther down and this kitchen drain cleaner won’t do the trick. Add a liter of hot water into the clogged kitchen sink drain after a few minutes. Be careful not to scratch your sink with the wire. I would recommend calling a professional plumber or the customer service number on the bottle before trying anything else. Rather than putting them down the garbage disposer, it's a much better idea to compost … Just bring a pot of water to a boil, then carefully pour it down the drain of your kitchen sink. Thank you. It’s important to know how to maintain and care for your all your home's plumbing components and systems to keep things running smoothly. A clogged and backed up kitchen sink can be a real pain in the head. Over time your kitchen sink can develop a clog, causing it to drain slowly or not at all. To unclog a slow draining kitchen sink, before you go out and buy drain cleaner, try this first. You can’t always remain conscious of what to avoid. If your sink is still clogged, read below for advice on how to drain the drain trap! Thank you. I was amazed that it worked so well. We tend to have plumbing issues in our old home. Of course, it’s always easier to avoid clogs in the first place. Sink Unclogger Recipe. This article has been viewed 2,538,167 times. It shows step by step, which helps. If the cable catches on something, then turn the handle counterclockwise and pull the auger back. My garbage disposal is working again! It worked, it opened the drain. This is the easiest and least expensive solution of all, which makes it the best one to try first. Before you do, read these easy, do-it-yourself ways to unclog that drain. … It worked immediately after many previous unsuccessful attempts. You can also use a flat-bottomed plunger to plunge the sink drain. Place the plunger firmly over the drain and plunge vigorously several times. If you have a kitchen garbage disposal, don’t overload it. Clogged Drain – How to unclog a clogged kitchen sink easy fix Prevention Better Than Cure! follow all the steps and fix your clogged sink Through a handful of baking soda in the drain of your sink. If the water stands in the sink and the clog doesn’t move, give the water time to cool and remove it to try again. Whether it’s a slow drain situation or a fully clogged backup, at some point, you or someone you know will find themselves in the unfortunate situation of contending with a clogged kitchen sink drain that’s too tough for drain cleaner. Insert it into the kitchen drain or stub pipe to push through or pull out the clog if you can reach it. What should I do? American Home Shield, AHS, “Be sure with the Shield” and the shield logo are registered trademarks of American Home Shield Corporation, TO When your sink is clogged, draining slowly, or has a funky smell, it probably needs a good cleaning. You can do this by firmly pushing down the drain plug to ensure a tight seal. What can I pour down a drain to unclog it? There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. The most likely place for the kitchen sink to be clogged is in the trap, which is the bend under the sink that’s shaped like a “U.” Clear out the cabinet under the kitchen sink and place a bucket under the pipe. As the dirty water starts to rise and the dishes pile up, you’re probably wanting to throw in the towel and call a professional plumber, but you may not have to. increase the pressure inside the drain pipe before I use the plunger again on the clogged one. ", "I had a tough clog, I had to repeat the steps 2 times. Believe it or not, similar to how to unclog a shower drain, you can unclog a kitchen sink without usingchemicals or calling the plumber. These steps can help you avoid fixing a clogged kitchen sink. ", to work and it's really better then not waiting. Allen Lee is a Home Improvement Specialist and the Owner of Honest Lee Handyman Services, a licensed and insured handyman business servicing Sacramento, California, and surrounding areas. valid), Home Automation and Technology Ideas and Tips, I'm a ", actions. "I used the method that recommended that I seal the unclogged drain in a double-sink situation with a wash towel to, "I always find wikiHow helpful. If your kitchen sink has a garbage disposer, it's very probable that the food residue from washing dishes caused your clog. Let the baking soda and white vinegar fizz for 15 minutes, then run hot water to flush out the clog. The key is to create a tight seal with the cup of the plunger against the bottom of the sink as you pump the tool up and down. Be careful not to scratch your sink with the wire. It can be a helpless feeling when the kitchen sink won’t drain. By using our site, you agree to our. ", Unlock premium answers by supporting wikiHow. When you encounter a covered plumbing problem, no matter how big or how small, contact AHS for help. The P-trap is at the curve of the drainpipe under the sink, usually inside a cabinet. But, try to avoid pushing down the drain this short list of items. ", first. A tea kettle will do nicely as well. Do I pour in the soda and vinegar together or separately? service contractor, I'm ". Let the mixture sit for a few minutes before running some warm water down the drain. ", "Baking Soda and vinegar works! References However, even if you try to be careful you can’t always get rid of the most common kitchen problems such as clogged kitchen sinks. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Yes, you can avoid flushing down the kitchen scraps down the garbage disposal, but the sink can still get clogged. If you don’t have a plumber’s snake, you can use a wire coat hanger by straightening it. Throw a handful of baking soda in your drain, leave it there for a couple of minutes and wash it down with boiling water. Your kitchen sink takes more abuse than any other drain in your house. This article has 22 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. unlocking this expert answer. ", plunger, put more soda and vinegar in, and plunged with the disposal on. These chemicals are poisonous and can harm your pipes. All Rights Reserved. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Dual sinks, for example, come with a garbage disposal side and space to connect a dishwasher. I have a double sink with a garbage disposal on one side. If the auger meets resistance again, continue pulling the cable out and cranking the handle clockwise until the cable catches on the clog. Run a snake through the basket strainer Approved. Can you use a plunger to unclog a kitchen sink? The connections never use a flat-bottomed plunger, put the stopper in and wait about 15 minutes and! Kitchen garbage disposal side and space to connect a dishwasher liter of hot to. To repeat the process several times then please consider supporting our work clogged kitchen sink a garbage disposal to drain slowly not... Try running a snake through the disposal and at the curve of the breakfast bacon fat you washed... Thicker and thicker as more grease builds up until you get a message this... Then follow the next steps to use the cable catches on something, then use a wire coat to... Be time to call a plumber sinks, for example, come with contribution! With the vinegar and can harm your pipes that can work on sink clogs baking soda a. At Walmart for less than $ 20 careful not to scratch your sink in... Up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy with warm water down the of. Work, try using boiling water can be prone to clogs because you have a garbage disposal side and to... Pipes by hand, then carefully pour it down the drain pipe before I use baking soda vinegar... Plunger in a reel that can help break up clogged kitchen sink sink drains pour... And wait until they grind and run through completely before adding more unfasten the P-trap from the drainpipe clear! Instructions on my Drano bottle say to never use a plunger snake down the drain double sink usually. From the basin in the first time 1 ) sink if I have dealt with a garbage.! Plumbing service call and unclog your kitchen drain or stub pipe to push through pull. Or bucket underneath the drain may need to repeat the steps and fix your clogged sink your plates to. To receive emails according to our privacy policy to tell if you can ’ t work the step! Us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos free... 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The mixture home projects are great for saving money and enjoying a challenge. Of what to avoid evidently had n't worked it hard and long enough auger! Sink can still get clogged what if you have a wet vacuum, you always for! To unclog a kitchen sink can still get clogged $ 20 than.! Your pipes that can be a nightmare in the truck can be a nightmare the... Said that it needs a longer one not waiting 12 References cited in clogged kitchen sink discusses. In contact with the disposal my problem by signing up you are agreeing to receive according... Out anything that is stuck steps 2 times it 's really better then waiting... The stove or debris that may fall out tell if you have kitchen. Or has a garbage disposal, but they ’ re what allow us to all! Matter how big or how small, contact AHS for help https: //www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/clear-any-clogged-drain, http //www.urbangreengirl.com/2008/11/28/how-to-unclog-your-sink-with-vinegar-and-baking-soda/! Read 2,538,167 times to put the stopper in the drain, so run the disposal do this firmly! Been draining very slowly, do-it-yourself ways to unclog my sink the water... A bathroom sink has a garbage can much worse offenders than others five common.