The sink’s taking a lifetime to drain, water’s pooling around your feet in the shower and there’s a rather funny smell coming from the kitchen (and no it’s not your cooking!) The warning signs are all there and we’re sorry to say, you’ve probably got a clogged drain.
Although our home drainage systems are pretty robust, certain things build up in the pipes over time and cause blockages. Hair and soap scum are notorious for blocking shower drains. Coffee grounds and cooking fat tend to build up in your kitchen sink pipes and we all know how bad baby wipes are for our toilets. Being extra careful about what you put down your drains is the best way to keep them in a good condition – prevention is easier than repair.
But what if the damage is already done? Luckily, you can learn how to unblock a sink yourself. It’s a relatively easy home repair task, so there’s no need to call out a plumber just yet. Below we’ve shared several methods for repairing a blocked sink or shower drain. Give them a try and see what works best for you.
How to unblock a sink
If you’re having trouble draining the sink in your bathroom, it’s likely to be blocked with things like hair, soap scum and toothpaste. The first thing to try is physically pulling out any hair you can reach from the drain. The more you can dispose of, the less you’ll need to push through your pipes. Next, pop in the plug and fill your sink with up with hot water. Pull out the plug and see if the water clears the blockage. If that doesn’t work you’ll need to grab a plunger.
How to unblock a drain with a plunger
One of the easiest ways to clear small blockages from your bathroom sink or bathtub is to use a drain plunger. Pick one up from your local hardware store and follow the simple steps below:
- Block the overflow with an old rag
- Run your tap
- Place the plunger over the drain hole, ensuring it’s sealed
- Gently plunge up and down quickly
- Remove your plunger, fill the sink and it should now drain properly
Using a drain plunger will send quick bursts of water down your pipes to hopefully clear any blockages. You can also try using it to unblock shower drain clogs.
How to unblock a sink with a drain snake
If plunging your bathroom or kitchen sink doesn’t work, you can try using a drain snake. This tool looks like a long coiled piece of flexible pipe and is usually about a ¼ inch thick, so it can fit easily down your drain. It works in the opposite way to a plunger, as instead of trying to flush the blockage out, you pull it out of the sink. Drain snakes are particularly good for helping you reach clogs further down your drain. To use a drain snake:
- Push the end of the snake into the drain opening
- Turn the handle on the drum to feed the coiled-up snake down your drain
- Keep going until you feel resistance (this should mean you’ve found the blockage)
- Twist the snake until it moves more freely (it will either attach itself to the clog or breakthrough it)
- Carefully pull out the snake and the blockage will come with it
- Run water to check your sink now drains efficiently
If you don’t have a drain snake to hand, you could try unbending a wire coat hanger and using that instead. This will also work for those wondering how to fix a blocked shower drain.
