At some point in your life, you may have found it very unfortunate to find your bathroom sink clogged, and you cannot help but be irritated watching the water draining extremely slowly. Apart from a definitely annoying situation, a clogged drain can also be a health risk. Thus, it is important to take care of the problem as soon as possible.
You always have the option of seeking the services of a professional plumber. Nevertheless, even the seasoned plumbers of Amarco Plumbing recommend some home remedies for clogged drains in their article https://amarcoplumbing.com/home-remedies-bathtub-drains. However, this is specifically for bathtub drains. While there are similarities between a bathroom sink and a bathtub drain, there are also significant differences, particularly with the cause of the clog. Hence, here are some proven ways to unclog your bathroom sink, without the need to call for a plumber.
Natural Solvents
You can use the household items that you already have in de-clogging your bathroom sink such as baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and even boiling water. All these are referred to as natural solvents which can dissolve the particulates that are causing blockages on your pipes. Pour a quarter cup of baking soda into the drain, after which, pour a cup of white vinegar. Plug the drain with a sink stopper to ensure that the chemical reaction between the baking soda and the vinegar is trapped inside. After 15 minutes, you can squeeze in the juice of a lemon to eliminate foul odors before pouring in a pot of boiling water.
Plunger
A plunger is a great tool to unclog your bathroom sink. There are plungers that are specifically intended for bathroom sinks and these are generally smaller than the plungers intended for toilets. Before you use the plunger though, it is important to remove the sink stopper first. Place the plunger directly over the drain and fill the sink with just enough water to cover the plunger. Press the plunger down once until you feel the rubber bottom tighten before using the handle to plunge vigorously up and down for about 20 times to be able to force the blockage through. After this, check whether you will be able to pull out the cause of the blockage.
Snaking the Pipes
Another method that you can try to clear the pipes of the blockage is to use a drain snake. You can either purchase one from a hardware store or simply make one using a wire hanger, bending one end to create a hook. You need to remove the P-trap under your sink to be able to push out the blockage using the drain snake, which is why it is a good idea to put a bucket underneath it.
Final Word
It is definitely more practical to try and unclog your bathroom sink first before eventually calling a plumber when all else fails. This is because there are already several proven ways to do so and you will most likely feel accomplished once you unclog your bathroom sink. Just keep in mind that it is still better to ensure that overall, your bathroom is well kept and maintained to steer clear of the things that may cause a blockage not only in your bathroom sink but also in your toilet or tub drain.