The DIY Way to Handle a Clogged Sink

Clogged sinks happens, it’s common in all types of homes and apartments. Some people like to use their own DIY drain cleaner, which can sometimes work and solve the problem quickly. But, we might have an even easier solution to offer you. Did you know that hot water might be all you need to unclog a simple block?

First Figure Out the Type of Clog

Before making any decisions about how to unclog your sink or drain, you have to first figure out the cause of the blockage. Find a soft or bendable kitchen utensil, like rubber spoon or rubber straw, and carefully explore and inspect the clog. If you find that an oily residue is on your utensil, you probably have a fat-based clog. If the clog itself feels solid, it’s likely you have a piece of food or another small object blocking your drain from working properly.

Clearing a Fat-Based Clog

Whenever grease, oil, or fat gets poured down in your drain, either on purpose or by accident, it could cause a build up and result in clogs and blockages. This is why it’s really important to get rid of leftover cooking oil and grease in a garbage can and not in the sink. If you figured out that your clog is fat-based, you can boil water in a large pot on the stove or even in a big tea kettle. Once it’s boiling, remove it from the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes. Very carefully, pour the all the water down the drain. This should remove the block completely, but you can keep repeating the previous steps if it doesn’t work the first time. The hot water should break down the oil or grease, and allow the clog to move through the drain so that your pipes work as they should.

Cleaning a Hard Object Clog

If your clog is from a hard object such as a piece of stuck food, hot water unfortunately won’t work like it would for a fat-based clog. Instead, we recommend getting a wire clothing hanger to very carefully remove the object. If you find that you’re having trouble removing the clog, give 1st Choice experts a call and leave the rest to us. Don’t risk causing any damage to your drain if you find removing the object is difficult.

Give 1st Choice Plumbing Heating and Air a Call

Fat-based clogs can usually be fixed without too much work or money spent. If the clog is from a more serious reason than just a small fat buildup, give us a call at 866-437-0205. Many household chemicals can cause damage to drains and pipes, so it’s better to let the experts handle it.