Clogged Kitchen Sink
One day as a homeowner you might notice a large puddle of water under the rug in your kitchen. At first you cannot figure out where the water is coming from. Look under the kitchen sink and it will become evident that it is clogged! Water isn’t going down the drain – instead it overflows from the pipe bend.
Suddenly all your kitchen appliances – the washer, dishwasher and kitchen sink – become paralyzed. They are useless! However, before this complete blockage you will most likely start noticing some warning signs for a few days – the sink would take somewhat longer to drain, the kitchen rug would feel damp under your feet and the strange unpleasant smells would be coming from the sink. But you didn’t pay attention to them… And then it happened. The kitchen drain was blocked completely!
Your first inclination would be to call a plumber but try the following simple tips first to unblock the clog before seeking professional help. Read on to find out more about them.
- Remove the excess hair and filth that has collected at the P-trap and could be causing a blockage. It does help in some cases but not all the time.
- The easiest and fastest solution of all is boiling water. Pour the entire kettle of boiling water into the sink a couple of times and wait. You can also discharge 0.5 cup of salt down the drain and let it sit for a couple of minutes before pouring the boiling water. The clog might move a little bit after this procedure.
- Disposal– sometimes a garbage disposal might be a cause of the problem. A clogged disposal can block the drain – turn the disposal on to see if it helps to remove the clog. Also make sure that the unit runs correctly.
- Use a liquid plumber or homemade unclogging solutions such as vinegar+baking soda and baking soda+salt, pour the solution down the drain and let the mixture sit overnight. Afterwards flush with hot water. If this trick doesn’t help, try the next step.
- Household plunger – most likely you have this useful instrument somewhere in the closet, go ahead and get it. You need to create a tight seal around the plunger, so fill the side of the sink you want to plunge with enough water to cover the bell of the plunger. Place the plunger tightly over the drain and plunge energetically a couple of times. The suction should clear the clog, when it does – remove the plunger and flush hot water down the drain. Although, plunging can sometimes move the clog further down the pipes…
- Plumber’s snake – this handy tool can also clear clogs that are stuck further down the system. You’ll have to take apart the drainpipe and P-trap that runs underneath the kitchen sink to uncover the “stub pipe” that travels behind the sink into your bathroom and then in the whole pipe system. This is the place to insert the snake into the pipe until you feel resistance and try to break up the clog. This last tip can do the trick and you will finally get rid of the bothersome clog!
If that’s not your case because you have a more complicated plumbing issue or you just want to unblock the kitchen sink clog as soon as possible, it might be a smart idea to call a plumbing professional right away. Contact Downey Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning and our experienced plumbers will come to the rescue ASAP.