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Slow Draining Sink: How to Fix & Prevent Future Clogs
Sink not draining? Over time, hair, grease, gunky mold, mildew and debris can build up in your pipes and affect water flow. We can help you tackle that slow draining bathroom sink or tub. Not only will we show you how to fix a slow draining sink; we’ll share a few tips to help prevent future backups. Now let’s crush that clog!
Step 1: Let it go
Let the water drain completely. If you’re in your bathtub or shower, this article will help you tackle tub drains clogs: How to Unclog Your Bathtub.
Step 2: Check the p-trap
For a kitchen or bathroom sink draining slowly, check the p-trap for a clog. This article will show you how in detail: Might Be a Toy.
Step 3: Clean the drainpipe
If there’s no blockage in your p-trap, then the clog could be higher up the drainpipe. Try using a drain snake or a stick to clear it from above your sink. To do this, you’ll need to remove the stopper first. Here’s how:
- Remove the drain stopper from under the sink.
- Remove drain gunk with a stick or a snake.
- Clean and re-install the stopper.
Step 4: Let the foam roam
Another way to remove the blockage in your slow draining kitchen sink is to use Liquid-Plumr® Foaming Clog Fighter™. The dual formula cleans and clears pipes with a blockage busting foam to eliminate clogs. Use as directed.
Also check out: Liquid-Plumr® vs. Baking Soda & Vinegar Solution
After these steps, you’ll be back in business with a drain that actually drains.
Other Drain-Busting Solutions
If you don’t have any Liquid-Plumr on hand, here are a few methods you can try to tackle that clog.
ALTERNATIVE #1: BAKING SODA & VINEGAR
Let equal parts baking soda and white vinegar gurgle in your drain for about 15 minutes, then flush it down with hot (not boiling) water. Repeat as needed.
ALTERNATIVE #2: PLUNGER POWER
Grab that trusty plunger, fill the sink or tub with water, then place the plunger over the drain, making sure the plunger is filled with water. Push and pull repeatedly for 20 seconds, then pull straight up and off the drain.
ALTERNATIVE #3: SNAKE IT
A snake is a corkscrew-tipped wire that helps you drill and push through clogs. A closet auger is stiffer and more robust, able to clear out toys and whatever else may be stuck in your drain.
How to Avoid Future Clogs
Like we always say, “prevention is the best plumber.” Even if we don’t really always say that, it’s kinda true, so here are a few tips to help keep your drains flowing.
TIP #1: KEEP HAIR OUTTA THERE
Use plastic or wire mesh catchers in your bathroom sinks to keep long hair and other debris out of your drains.
TIP #2: CLEAN AS YOU GO
Spot a dust bunny in the sink? Pick it out instead of washing it down the drain. Same with dried toothpaste and that crusty globule on the spout of your lotion dispenser. Don’t let all those bits accumulate in your pipes.
TIP #3: FLUSH OUT THE BAD
Once every few weeks, treat your drain to a tablespoon of table salt and a big splash of white vinegar, and flush it all down with hot water. It helps to loosen up the gunk that can build up in your pipes over time.
TIP #4: TEACH ‘EM YOUNG
If you have kids, make sure they know what should and shouldn’t go down the drain (and toilet for that matter). Also, make sure any tub toys they play with at bathtime are bigger than your drains.
