A clogged kitchen sink can be caused by numerous factors. A build-up of hair, grease and food particles can eventually plug up the drain. There are commercial drain cleaners on the market. but they are caustic chemicals and do not guarantee to do the job.You can call a plumber for an expensive house call, but instead try these simple steps which should do the trick.

Use a plunger

Most clogs can be removed using a plunger. If you have a single bowl sink, fill it 1/4 way with water. Plunge 5 to 7 times and remove plunger. If the sink drains, you have removed the stoppage. Run the hot water for 5 minutes to make sure all the debris has been removed.
If you have a double bowl sink, fill both sides 1/4 way with water and plunge the side that is clogged. If both sides are clogged, your blockage could be in the p-trap.

Remove the P-Trap

Before you take apart the trap, make sure you have a bucket and rags handy. If your sink is full of water, remove as much as possible into the bucket and dispose of in another sink. Place bucket under P-Trap and using a plumbers wrench, remove the trap. Make a note of all washers and where they go. Once all the water has been drained into the bucket, check the trap for any debris. You can use a coat hanger to clear any obstruction. Check the drain pipe going into the wall, using the coat hanger to clean out any debris. Reassemble P-Trap and run the water. If this does not do it, you will need to snake the drain pipe.

Snake the Drain

You can choose to buy a hand operated snake, or rent a power snake from your local rental store. I would rent a power snake. Disassemble the P-Trap following the prior steps. Making sure you are wearing gloves, slowly feed the snake into the drain and make sure it goes down, not up. Slowly spin the snake and keep feeding it down the drain. Send out as much of the snake as you can. Once you have reached its limit. pull it back in, making sure not to spin it as you retrieve it. Once in, repeat the process 2 more times. Reassemble the P-Trap and run the water. This should do it. If you still have a problem, this is the time to call in a professional.

Tags: clogs, sinks

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