How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink

We would guess you’re reading this because your sink is clogged so we will skip to figuring out a solution to the problem!

Figuring out why your drain is clogged is the best way to figure out how to unclog it. There are four common reasons why most people’s bathroom drains clog. Look for:

1. Clumps of hair: hair that enters your sink drain will clump together and get stuck on the walls or the drain’s components. Tweezing or using a zip-it tool removes hair well. 

2. Something stuck in p-trap: you probably recognize the curved pipe beneath your bathroom sink that connects to the wall pipe. If something falls down your drain, it may get stuck in the curved pipe, the p-trap, in which you will need to remove and clean the pipe. 

3. Soap scum: build-up can happen in your pipes over time. You can pour a pot of boiling water down the drain or use a mix of baking soda and vinegar. 

4. Damaged pipes: pipes can rust and corrode over time which can lead to a slow drain or a clog. Plunging or snaking them is a temporary fix, but you should replace rusted pipes as soon as possible.

Unclogging your sink

After you’ve figured out what is clogging your drain, try the method that is recommended. Here is each method broken down into steps:

• Baking soda and vinegar

1. Unscrew the drain cover and remove the sink stopper

2. Pour  ½ cup of baking soda and then 1 cup of white vinegar into the drain

3. Let the mixture sit until fizzing stops

4. Rinse hot water down the drain

5. Repeat up as needed

• Tweeze or pull out hair

1. Remove the stopper

2. If you can see hair down the drain, use a long-nosed tweezers to retrieve it

3. If you can’t see hair, use a zip-it tool or bend and insert a hanger to retrieve it

4. Push the tool in at different angles (don’t force it) to catch more hair

5. Repeat as needed, rinsing with hot water as necessary

• Snake

1. Put down some towels or rags and remove the p-trap and stopper

2. Thread the snake into the drain and uncoil the snake using the handle

3. When you reach the clog, move the head around

4. Pull the nsake out and reassemble the sink

5. Check the drain to see if the clog is gone

• Plunge

1. Use a common cup plunger

2. Remove the stopper and seal the sink overflow outlet with take or a rag

3. Fill the sink with warm water and use the plunger to pump the plunger’s seal up and down several times

4. Test the drain and repeat as necessary

• Clean the p-trap

1. Put a bucket under your p-trap and loosen the slip nuts by hand or with pliers and dump the water in the bucket

2. Look for and remove objects lodged in the pipe

3. Put the p-trap back together and test the drain

If you have tried everything and your bathroom sink is still clogged, then you’re probably dealing with a bigger problem. If this is the case we recommend calling your local plumber. Abel Plumbing can diagnose and fix your drain clog problem quickly and effectively, contact us at (763) 682-4105 or contact us here.