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Blocked Basin drain? With a few inexpensive tools and a little practice you can clear up all but the most stubborn drain clogs in less than an hour. Save yourself the plumbing service call and unclog your drain yourself by following our step-by-step instructions or give our team a call today on 131 750.
All plumbers at Sharpe Plumbing are Master Plumbers, certified to the highest Australian standards. Our master plumbers in SA are proud to uphold the highest standard for plumbing services in Adelaide. The next time you need a “local plumber near me”, call on Sharpe Plumbing for the best plumbers in Adelaide. We don’t have any subcontractors, only in-house fully licensed local plumbers.
If you’ve got a kitchen sink clogged or a garbage disposal clogged, it can wreck a perfectly good evening in front of the tube. Instead of settling in to watch the Series, you’ll find yourself staring at a sink full of dirty, backed-up water and wondering whether to call in a plumber. However, with two inexpensive tools and a little practice, you can figure out how to unclog a sink or clogged garbage disposal in less than an hour.
In this article, we’ll show you how to unclog a sink, use a plunger and snake to clear up all but the most stubborn drain clogs. Plungers are sold at any hardware store or home center (lead photo). Those with larger rubber bells deliver more thrust, but most will work for kitchen drains. Be sure it has a stout handle so you can apply plenty of force as you learn how to unclog a sink.
A snake (sometimes called a hand auger) ranges from cheap to inexpensive, depending on the size, length and turning mechanism. For all-around use, we recommend a 3/8-in.model that’s about 20 ft. long, like the one in Photo 6 (sold at hardware stores and home centers). It’s easy to turn down into the drain. But shorter, 1/4-in. types will work for most clogs too. In addition, keep several other items handy—a bucket or a plastic bin that fits under your drain, rubber gloves and a good flashlight.
You can avoid most clogs by not abusing your kitchen drain line. Don’t overload your disposer with meat; foods high in starch, like pasta, potatoes and rice; or foods high in fiber, like celery and corn husks. Also, run plenty of cold water down the drain and let the disposer catch up after every cup of food you push into it. Never dump bacon grease or coffee grounds into the drain. If allowed to settle and cool, they solidify in the drain.
If you follow the steps of this article and still can’t clear the blockage, don’t hesitate to call in a plumber. You may have a clog far down the drain line beyond your reach, or stuck objects in the pipes.
One of the most common causes of a clogged drain is when your garbage disposal clogged. If the side of the sink that has the disposer doesn’t drain, plunge it first to remove the clog or force it down the drain.
And if you flip the switch to turn on your garbage disposer and all you hear is a low humming sound, your disposer is probably jammed. Switch it off and unplug the unit.
You can usually free it by turning the blades manually by inserting an Allen wrench into the hole on the bottom of the disposer. If the disposer doesn’t make any sound when you turn it on, an internal breaker on the motor probably has tripped. Give the disposer a minute to cool off. Then press the reset button located on the bottom of the unit, and turn it on again.
If you have a dishwasher, tighten a clamp over the flexible part of the drain line before plunging the drain. This prevents dirty water from flowing back into the dishwasher cabinet.
If the problem isn’t in the disposer, plunge the drain. If you have a dishwasher, remember to first clamp the drain hose. Then fill the sink with 3 to 4 in. of water to ensure that the plunger seals around the drain. Hold a wet rag tightly over the other drain opening in double sinks or use the basket strainer to seal it.
Hold a wet cloth tightly over one sink drain to seal it and set the plunger over the other drain. Plunge up and down vigorously for about 20 seconds. Roll the head of the plunger into the water so you force water, not air, into the drain. Pump vigorously. On your last upstroke, pop the plunger off the mouth of the drain for extra pressure. If the water doesn’t swirl straight down the drain, continue plunging for several minutes.
Pop the plunger off the drain on your last pull stroke in a final attempt to break the clog free. Plunging can be quick and easy or it could be a wet mess. Keep towels handy to soak up spills.
Clogs that occur in the P-trap and trap arm of the drain (Photo 3) most often occur when grease or coffee grounds stick. If intensive plunging doesn’t remove it, disassemble and clean out the P-trap (10 to 15 minutes).
Begin by sponging the water from the sink to reduce the flow under the sink when you pull off the trap. Keep your pan or bucket underneath; dirty water will flow out. Loosen the slip nut on the trap arm assembly and the continuous taste tee and wiggle the trap free. We show plastic drain lines, but many older kitchen sinks have metal traps and pipes. Metal slip nuts are usually more difficult to loosen than plastic, but either will probably require the use of slip-joint pliers to break them free. Loosen them gently to avoid cracking or bending the trap assembly.
Unscrew the slip nut between the P-trap and the trap arm first, then the nut at the bottom of the waste tee. Clean out any debris from the P-trap. Inspect both the P-trap and the trap arm for cracks or weak walls. If it’s worn, replace it to avoid problems in the future. Reinstall the P-trap and test the line with warm water. Don’t over-tighten the slip nuts. Hand tight plus a quarter turn with pliers should be enough.
If the P-trap isn’t clogged, move on and remove the trap arm and clean it. To remove the trap arm, loosen the slip nut and slide the trap arm from the drain line stub-out. You will likely need pliers to remove the nut. next, run a screwdriver around the inside of the pipe stub-out and pull out any debris that may have collected in the opening. If you still haven’t found the clog, reach for the snake!
Begin by loosening the setscrew at the tip of the snake and pulling out 6 to 10 in. of cable. Then tighten the setscrew and spin the snake down into the drain line. Initially you may feel an obstruction, but it’s likely that the tip of the snake is just turning a corner. Loosen the setscrew, pull out another 6 to 10 in. of cable and continue to feed the snake into the line.
Thread the tip of the snake into the drain stub-out. Tighten the setscrew and turn the crank clockwise to feed it into the drainpipe.
Continue to turn the snake when you encounter resistance. The snake tip is designed to corkscrew through clogs and around corners.
If you feel the cable hit an obstruction, continue cranking and pushing the cable through the clog until you feel the tip bite through. This should be obvious because the tension in the cable will drop.
When you are through the clog, turn the crank counterclockwise and pull out the cable. Clean the cable as you pull; it’ll probably be covered with incredibly dirty gunk. You may get a large plug of material at the end of the snake, so keep that bucket handy. Repeat the process until you no longer feel blockage, then reassemble the trap and run plenty of warm water to flush the line.
After the drain is open, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of white vinegar into the drain. Cover both openings and let it sit for a few minutes. Then run another gallon or so of warm water behind it to flush out the mixture. The combination of baking soda and vinegar can break down any leftover fat deposits and will leave your drain smelling fresh. Reinstall the P-trap and run water to test the drain. And that’s how to snake a drain.
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Whatever mess we make, we will always clean up after every job. We provide the highest quality of service and will always leave the scene of the issue cleaner than before we came
Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing technicians live and work throughout the Adelaide Metro area, which means you get an emergency plumber or emergency electrician with the hour
Our service is so professional that our customers highly recommend Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing to their children, other family members, and friends
100% in-house Accredited plumbers, Licensed electricians, ARC tick Airconditioning techs & CEC accredited Solar techs. All qualified to the highest Australian industry standards
Whatever mess we make, we will always clean up after every job. We provide the highest quality of service and will always leave the scene of the issue cleaner than before we came
You will always feel secure dealing with
Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing are proud industry trusted leaders who are happy to cover you with 10 years peace of mind warranty
The highest level of accreditation in the industry to give you a premium quality service and peace of mind.
100% in-house Master plumbers, gold master electricians, ARC tick Airconditioning techs & CEC accredited Solar techs. All qualified to the highest Australian industry standards
Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing technicians live and work throughout the Adelaide Metro area, which means you get an emergency plumber or emergency electrician with the hour
Our service is so professional that our customers highly recommend Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing to their children, other family members, and friends
Delivering the highest standard and complete the job range of technical trades and services to South Australian homes.
You will always feel secure dealing with Sharpe
Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing guarantees that you pay $0 on interests for any excellent service done by us
Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing are proud industry trusted leaders who are happy to cover you with 10 years peace of mind warranty
The highest level of accreditation in the industry to give you a premium quality service and peace of mind.
100% in-house Master plumbers, gold master electricians, ARC tick Airconditioning techs & CEC accredited Solar techs. All qualified to the highest Australian industry standards
Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing technicians live and work throughout the Adelaide Metro area, which means you get an emergency plumber or emergency electrician with the hour
Our service is so professional that our customers highly recommend Sharpe Electrical & Plumbing to their children, other family members, and friends
Whatever mess we make, we will always clean up after every job. We provide the highest quality of service and will always leave the scene of the issue cleaner than before we came
Delivering the highest standard and complete the job range of technical trades and services to South Australian homes.
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