A clogged sink is something no one wants to deal with. So, what do you do when a clog happens? How can you prevent one?
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about a clogged kitchen sink. By the end of this article, you can find out more about how to fix a clogged kitchen sink and prevent them from happening in the first place.
How to Fix a Clogged Kitchen Sink
The easiest way to fix your clogged kitchen sink is with professional drain cleaning. However, in some cases, you can take care of the issue yourself. Working through the process when your kitchen sink is clogged can be surprisingly successful, especially for simple clogs.
Boiling Water
The most straightforward method of fixing a clogged sink is to use boiling water. However, keep in mind that this method should not be used if your sink is connected to PVC pipes, as the boiling water could damage them.
For this method, start with about a half gallon of boiling water. Pour it right into the sink’s drain. Then, turn on the sink’s faucet to see if it drains. If it doesn’t, you can try the process again. If a second attempt still doesn’t work, you will have to try another method.
Check Garbage Disposal
If the sink has a garbage disposal attached, the problem may be within the garbage disposal. To fix this, a few steps can be taken.
- First, turn the garbage disposal on.
- If it doesn’t turn on, try hitting the reset button beneath the disposal.
- If this still doesn’t get the disposal working, it may be stuck. Unplug it or disconnect the power in some other way. Then, clear the disposal manually. Once it is clear, try turning it back on again.
Plunge the Blockage
If the sink is still clogged, you can try using a plunger. For this method, try to use a flat sink plunger rather than a toilet plunger.
- Start by filling the sink with hot, but not boiling, water until it is around halfway full.
- Next, use the plunger on the sink a few times.
- After this, test the sink to see if it starts to drain.
- If it doesn’t drain, repeat the process a few more times.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Many people use harsh drain cleaners to break up clogs in their slow drains. However, you can do something similar with baking soda and vinegar without the risk of damaging your pipes.
- Start by removing as much water as possible from the sink.
- Next, pour a cup of baking soda directly into the drain.
- Then, pour a cup of white vinegar directly into the drain.
- Immediately after this, place some sort of cover over the drain.
- Stand aside and let the mixture work its magic for about 15 minutes.
- Return to the sink, uncover it, and run hot water through it.
- If this doesn’t work, you can make another attempt at using boiling water or using the plunger just to see if the mixture loosened things enough to make these efforts possible.
- If this still doesn’t work, you can repeat the process a few times.
Plumber Snake
A plumber snake can dig a lot of material from your drains. All you have to do is insert the snake into your drain and then turn the handle. When you pull the snake back out, you will pull it and everything it dug out with it, which can often dislodge the clog.
Clean the P Trap
The P trap is the bending pipe located under your sink. Since this is where clogs often sit, cleaning it can remove those clogs.
Start by removing this section of the pipe. You will want to place a bucket underneath as you remove it so the clogged water won’t pour onto your floor. Once removed, clean the inside of the pipe section and replace it. This should solve most serious clogs.
How to Prevent Kitchen Sink Clog
Preventing a clog usually means avoiding a few key problems and practicing a few good behaviors.
Continue Running Water After Food or Debris Goes Down Drain 
Anytime you put food debris down the drain, you should follow it with water. This prevents the material from sitting there and potentially building up over time.
Reduce the Amount of Food That Goes in Sink at Once
When putting food down the sink, don’t throw in a lot at once. Go slow and allow bits of food to wash away before putting in more.
Never Pour Fats or Grease Down Sink
You should never pour fats or grease down your sink. These are notorious causes of a clog.
Filter Larger Particles Through Drain Screen and Throw in Trash
In general, try to avoid putting anything large into the drain. By using a drain screen, you can catch these pieces before they go into the drain. You can then throw these pieces into the trash rather than the drain.
Common Reasons of a Clogged Sink
Another way to prevent a clog is to avoid common sources of a clog. By preventing these things from getting in your sink, you can prevent clogs.
Grease Buildup
You should never pour grease down a sink. The grease may go down as a liquid but will solidify in the drain and potentially clog it.
Hair
Hair can easily get caught in a drain. Once there, it tends to build up until it forms a messy clog.
Old Food
Old food is often tossed down kitchen sinks. However, some foods can damage your garbage disposal and lead to problems. Avoiding these will save you from a headache in the future.
Kids’ Toys
Kids tend to put their toys everywhere, even in drains. Your sink wasn’t designed to handle these large objects and, thus, ends up blocked by them.
Unclog Sink
You can run your sink through the entire unclogging process and often achieve success. However, there are still situations where none of these efforts will work.
In this case, you will need help from a professional plumber to fix your problem. A-Absolute Plumbing can help with this. If you need help with a clog or other plumbing issue in New York or New Jersey, you can book online, and we’ll fix your issue in no time.