Do you smell some unpleasant odors when you walk in your bathroom? Are you regularly noticing standing water in your bathroom sink as a result of slow draining? All these are signs of clogged drains that you should not ignore. Before calling a plumber, though, there are a few tips that you can try to unclog your bathroom sink.
In this article, we’ve gathered 5 natural ways that you can use to clean and unclog your drains.
1. Vinegar and Baking Soda
This is a grandma’s method of unclogging sinks that proved to be very useful. Combine 1 cup of white vinegar and ½ cup of baking soda and pour the mixture immediately into the drain. Let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the drain until the fizzing stops. This will help remove dirt and hair. Flush hot water into the gutter and repeat a few times.
2. Salt and Baking Soda
Baking soda and salt is another powerful cocktail. Mix 1/2 cup of each ingredient together and pour the combination into the drain. After about 15 minutes, pour hot water as well. These three components will create a harsh chemical reaction that can quickly unclog your bathroom sink.
3. Wet and Dry Vacuum
A wet and dry vacuum cleaner is a strong appliance that can help with the most stubborn clogs. To avoid making a mess, you need to cover the vent and ensure that your vacuum is on the liquid setting. Turn it to its maximum setting so that the suction is powerful enough to remove everything that is clogging the drain.
4. Boiling Water
One of the fastest and simplest ways is to boil water. It might sound surprising but this works wonders when there is clogging due to grime, hair and especially soap scum. The tip is to pour the boiling water slowly and preferably in stages to avoid water sitting in the sink.
5. Tweezers or Wire Hanger
If you could not unclog your sink with one of the techniques above, you can use tweezers or a wire hanger to pull out the stubborn clogs. First, remove the stopper and use a flashlight to see if you can see the clogs you can extract directly with the tweezers. If you can’t see anything, use the wire hanger by sliding it up and down the drain to unclog the sink.
While these tips can be effective in several situations, it is better to be aware of the common reasons why bathroom drains clog to know which method will be more appropriate to use:
- Tufts of hair: Hair is the most common cause of drain clogs. When they are wet, hair clumps together and gets stuck to pipes walls. To make things worse, the more water enters your drain, the harder the tuft gets. Pulling out the hair with a tweezer or wire hanger would be more suitable to use in that situation.
- Soap Scum: This happens when the chemicals in soap react with magnesium and calcium ions present in water. This builds up over time and clings to pipe walls. Hence, resulting in a clogged drain. Boiling water or baking soda combinations will do the trick with soap scum.
- Something Stuck in the P-Trap: The P-trap is located beneath the sink where the pipe bends. This part connects the sink drain to the larger drain. Small earrings, rings or chunks of soap are the things that can get stuck in the P-trap. Here you simply need to remove the P-trap and clean it.
- Damaged Pipes: With time, pipes are damaged with corrosion and rust that lead to slow drain and clogging. If plunging or shaking the pipes may help temporarily, it is better to replace them as soon as you can.
Did you have to unclog your bathroom sink recently? Did you use any of the tips above or use another one? Leave a comment below to share how you unclogged your drain.
