How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink Drain – Living in a household where the bathroom is used daily, a clogged bathroom sink is a likely thing to occur. Hygiene products, hair, soap, or toothpaste can cause a clogged sink. They went into the drain, built up, and created a blockage.
Slow draining sink, pooling of water, and a roaming bad smell in your bathroom are the signs of blockage in your drain. Thus, you have to fix it before it gets too late.
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Most people would immediately resort to a plumber without knowing that there are other methods to solve this problem. To help you, here are how to unclog a bathroom sink drain that is easy, effective, and most importantly, inexpensive.
1. Baking Soda and Vinegar
One of the classic methods, baking soda and vinegar are proved to be effective in solving a clogged sink. In a measuring cup, pour ⅓ of baking soda and ⅓ of vinegar, and mix them thoroughly. In no time, the mixture will start fizzing, and you should immediately pour it into the clogged drain.
The carbonic acid and sodium acetate are what will remove the crumpled hair, hygiene products, and soap. After that, you can let it sit in for one hour or overnight and flush it with hot water. You can also pour the same amount of baking soda first and vinegar afterward as an alternative.
2. Boiling Water
Perhaps this is the easiest way how to unclog a bathroom sink drain. Boiling water is simple yet effective in solving blockage, especially due to soap remnants.
Start by filling a kettle or pot with water and let it boil for several minutes. Once it boils, pour the hot water into the blocked drainage. The key is to split the water into three of four stages and let it cleanse the drainage thoroughly.
3. Sodium Hydroxide
Known as caustic soda, this chemical substance is a little bit tricky to work with. Due to its corrosive nature, you need to use gloves and glasses to protect your skin and eye. To use it, pour ¾ galloon of cold water, 3 cups of caustic soda, and mix them evenly with a wooden spoon in a bucket.
Aside from creating fizz, this mixture also generates heat. You can pour it directly into the drainage and wait for about 20-30 minutes, then flush the rest with boiling water. You can repeat it if necessary.
4. A Wire Hanger
If you’re looking for a non-chemical method, a wire hanger might be a suitable solution. To do this, take a regular wire hanger from your closet and straighten it out. Afterward, bend it over and create a small hook. Push the small hook past to the drain and start cleaning the blockage.
During it, you might stumble any hair, gunk, or any nasty mixture on your hanger. Continue cleaning while pouring a moderate amount of hot water to cleanse the way.
5. Wet and Dry Vacuum
If you have one in your house, another non-chemical method is to use a wet and dry vacuum. It is usually effective in handling a stubborn clog. Don’t forget to secure the vent with a seal to avoid a mess. For this, you can try using your old plunger.
Set your vacuum into its highest, liquid setting and start vacuuming. The persistent sucking of the vacuum will do wonders for the blockage.
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There are many ways to solve a bathroom sink blockage. Although some methods are more dangerous or difficult than others, learning how to unclog a bathroom sink drain can be a solution instead of calling an expensive plumber.
NaOH will react with aluminum. It will corrode, so make sure your mixing pot and tools are not aluminum. Stainless steel and heavy duty plastic, such as HDPE, or THICK glass, is fine. Remember the container will heat up quicly when you mix this with fold water (never use warm or hot…this could volcano up.