Ugh! You watch the water pool in your sink, slowly trickling down the drain. What is the problem and how do you fix it? Before you look at a solution, it’s critical to first understand what’s causing the problem.
In your bathroom sink, hair flows down the drain and builds up inside the plumbing system. Greasy soap scum and particles coat the inside walls of your pipes and narrow the interior diameter. Fat, oil, and grease go down the kitchen drain, cool in your pipes, collect along their inner walls, and begin to narrow the pipe opening. Vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and food particles build up in the curved pipe beneath your sink.
So how do you flush out that hair clog or clear those messy kitchen pipes? There are plenty of products that use chemicals to dissolve and clear them away. But you may want to try these safe, effective and environmentally friendly methods to fix these water flow problems:
- Plunge the Sink: The tried-and-true tool for fixing clogged drains, the plunger, is a good friend. Fill the sink halfway with warm water, plunge, and follow with a hot water rinse. Repeat until the water flows freely down the drain.
- Dislodge or Pull Out the Debris: Bend a wire coat hanger to form a hook on one end. After removing the drain cover, use the wire hook to pull hair and other debris from the pipe. Repeat the process until all the debris is removed and hot water flows freely down the drain.
- Use Salt: Using any kind of household salt, pour one-half a cup into the drain. Follow the salt with two quarts of nearly boiling water. Run warm tap water into the drain. Repeat the process until the water flows freely down the drain
- Try Baking Soda and Vinegar: Dump a pot of boiling water down the drain, followed by a half-cup of baking soda. Let that sit for a minute, then pour a mixture of one cup vinegar and one cup very hot water over it. The baking soda and hot water treatment will loosen up any grimy sludge, and the explosive chemical reaction with the vinegar will jolt it all loose. After 10 minutes, do one final hot-water rinse.
- Flush with Hot Water and Detergent: Heat two quarts of water to a boil and then add three tablespoons of dish detergent. Slowly pour the mixture down the drain and follow with a rinse of hot tap water. Repeat this process until the water flows freely down the drain.
- Use Biological Enzyme Cleaners: You can regularly use biological enzyme cleaners to tackle slow-moving drains. These products are safe for houses using septic systems and prevent build-up of organic material and odors.
But don’t get too creative – the wrong DIY solution can damage your plumbing system – and problem areas in your pipes may sit beyond your reach. If these solutions don’t clear your drains, consider calling a professional plumber who has the tools and experience to determine the problem and make your sinks drain completely and safely again.
