It’s probably not a stretch to say your bathroom sink is one of the most-used plumbing fixtures in your house. This sink is used throughout the day, whether you’re brushing your teeth, cleaning your hands, or washing your face after a long day.
Because it’s used often, your bathroom sink can collect all kinds of debris, such as hair, soap scum, and foreign objects like floss. Sometimes, you don’t even know you’re dealing with a clog until you experience slow drains, water backups, or gurgling sounds.
Do you suspect your bathroom sink drain is clogged? Before you reach for a store-bought drain cleaner, it’s important to know that these products contain harmful chemicals that can seriously damage your pipes. You’ll want to use different drain cleaning methods that are safe and gentle on your plumbing.
Below, we’ll discuss how to unclog a bathroom sink effectively but safely. So if you’re ready, grab a pair of rubber gloves, and let’s get started!
Use a Trusty Plunger
When learning how to unclog a bathroom sink drain, it can be helpful to quickly take stock of the supplies in your home. Do you have a small cup plunger at the ready? If so, you can try using this common plumbing tool to remove that pesky clog.
If there’s a lot of standing water in your sink, remove some of it with a bowl or cup to avoid splashing. You should leave about an inch of water in the sink, so the plunger cup is submerged. Once you’ve positioned the plunger over the drain and have a tight seal, you can start plunging.
Try a Homemade Drain Cleaner
Do you want to learn how to unclog a bathroom sink naturally? You can make many homemade drain cleaners with common household items such as baking soda, vinegar, and salt. These drain cleaning solutions are known for being effective, yet they won’t damage your plumbing like store-bought products might.
Boiling Water
When learning how to fix a clogged bathroom sink, you might see “boiling water” on this list of methods. However, simply pouring a pot of boiling water down your clogged drain can actually be more effective than you think. This method can help remove stubborn soap scum blockages and other small clogs.
It’s important to mention that you should only use boiling water on drains that can handle high temperatures. You’ll want to avoid using this method if you have PVC pipes or other plastic piping material in your home.
Baking Soda & Vinegar
If you’re looking for a drain-cleaning solution that’s a little more robust than boiling water, consider this mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Measure out ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup of vinegar. Once you have everything ready to go, pour the ingredients into the clogged drain and immediately cover it with a sink stopper.
You’ll want to let the mixture sit in the drain for at least a few hours. However, it’s usually best to let the ingredients sit and work on the clog overnight. Afterward, remove the stopper and flush the drain with hot water, then check to see if the blockage has been removed. You can repeat the entire process if necessary.
Baking Soda & Salt
If you don’t have any vinegar in your cupboard, you can substitute it for salt instead. In a similar fashion to the mixture above, you’ll want to measure out ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup of salt. Pour the ingredients into the affected drain and let it sit for a few hours. Remember to flush the drain with hot water from the tap or a pot of boiling water as a final step.
When discussing how to fix a clogged bathroom sink, it must be mentioned that not every method will work for your specific situation. Different drain clogs call for different solutions. These baking soda mixtures typically work best for hair blockages, but if you have a particularly stubborn clog on your hands, you might need to try another method before you see results.
Invest in a Drain Snake
Drain snakes are a common plumbing device that can be used to remove stubborn clogs. You can usually purchase these tools at a local home improvement store, but you should be aware of the fact that they come in various sizes. Some drain snakes are better for bathroom sink drains than others.
Drain snakes are typically a safer alternative to using a wire hanger, as hangers can sometimes get stuck in the drain if you aren’t careful. However, you should know that using a drain snake takes some skill. You shouldn’t use one of these devices if you don’t feel comfortable doing so.
Consider a Wet Dry Vacuum
You can also use a wet-dry vacuum to remove a drain blockage. This might be one of the most convenient drain cleaning options if you already have one of these vacuums on hand; however, you can usually get them from hardware stores as well.
Of course, you’ll want to ensure that the vacuum is set to the “liquids” setting before you use it to clear your drain.
Call a Professional Plumber
If you were wondering how to fix a clogged bathroom sink drain, hopefully, you now have a thorough understanding of the methods you can use. However, just because there are many options doesn’t mean you have to clean your drains yourself.
If you’re dealing with a tough drain clog or simply don’t feel comfortable tackling the removal process yourself, don’t hesitate to contact a plumber for a professional drain opening. Guardian Plumbers offers Temecula drain and plumbing services with five-star customer service, so you can rest assured your sink is in capable hands.
Protect Your Drains With Guardian Plumbers
Now that you know how to unclog a bathroom sink, it’s time to find the best solution for your needs. Does your clogged drain require the assistance of a professional? Don’t worry — the experts at Guardian Plumbers are here to help.
We’re proud to assist you with a Temecula drain service and plumbing solution. Our team knows how to fix a clogged bathroom sink, but we can also help with various other clogs, such as kitchen sinks and toilets.
Slow-draining sinks are a pain to deal with. If you’re ready for a solution, contact us to schedule an appointment today!
