A slow-draining sink can be annoying, inconvenient, and smelly, but most importantly, it’s a sign of a problem in your pipes. Whether it’s hair, soap scum, hair styling products or even shaving foam, they can build up inside the walls of your pipes, impacting the flow of water with a dreaded clog.
Fortunately, there are a variety of things you can do yourself to clear out a clog and get the water flowing again.
Read on to learn the best solutions for a slow draining sink, as well as some we do not recommend.
Snaking Your Drain – While few households have the necessary professional plumbing equipment to properly snake a drain, you can mimic the act with a coat hanger or BBQ skewer. These handy household fixes just might clear a large enough hole in the clog to allow water to drain and help you to pull out hair or other obstructions. Be gentle so that you don’t damage anything!
Try Using a Plunger – Not just for toilets, your bathroom plunger can often create enough pressure to dislodge a clog from your sink’s drain.
Commercial Drain Cleaners – While harsh, corrosive chemicals are indeed effective at clearing a clogged drain, they can be too effective. In many cases, they’ll not only unclog your drain but can also damage your pipes, leading to a disastrous, expensive mess. Commercial drain cleaners have a variety of other downsides too. They irritate your skin and eyes, release fumes into your home, and are harmful to the environment. In short, despite their convenience and low cost, commercial drain cleaners are a bad idea. If your clog is not caused by hair and build-up, but by perhaps a tree root, a commercial drain cleaner can cause even more damage! If you can avoid using them, we recommend playing it safe and trying other methods first, or calling a plumbing professional.
Clean the Stopper – Positioned at the top of your drain and usually equipped with a metal tail that extends into the pipe by about two inches, the sink stopper often catches hair and soap scum. Fortunately, due to its accessibility, you can reach the stopper easily and remove it for cleaning. If you are having trouble removing it, the curved tip of a plastic dental floss hook makes a great hair clog tool and can help you to remove some of the hair clinging to it. While this is not a permanent solution, it will clear your current clog until you can have a professional clean it out properly.
Baking Soda & Vinegar – Remember the erupting volcano you made for your school’s science fair? That chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar can help melt the slimy sludge accumulating in your drainpipe. Simply pour 4 oz of baking soda into the drain, followed by 4 oz of white vinegar, and block the drain with a rag to keep the solution contained. The resulting bubbling and fizzing reaction can help to break down the slimy residue and small clogs. Wait 15 minutes and pour a full kettle of boiling water down the drain, and then run the hot water tap for a few minutes to flush the mess down.
Try Coke – Some homeowners swear by this one! A lesser-known fix, a 2L bottle of Coca-Cola poured down your clogged drain can clear away minor build-up. The phosphoric acid found in cola is acidic, which is why it is bad for your teeth. Not merely an old wives’ tale, it has been known to dissolve mild clogs without damaging your home’s plumbing systems.
Do Not Use Bleach – While bleach can sanitize your drains, it can not eat through hair or soap scum and will not dissolve a clog in your drain.
Call in a Professional – The best option is to hire a professional plumbing team. This alternative is the safest and most reliable and efficient way to clear your clog or slow draining sink once and for all. If this is a reoccurring problem, a licensed plumber can address the problem’s root cause, inspect the entire system, and clear it up for good. A plumber will use safe methods to deal with your clogs, protecting your pipes from further damage.
Looking for Some Help with Your Slow Draining Sink?
The Super Plumber is here to help! While our services may cost more than a bottle of cola, we can address the root cause of your issue, preventing clogs from being a recurring nuisance.
Available 24/7, call our plumbing heroes today for lightning-fast, affordable plumbing solutions, and ultimate peace of mind!
