10 Quick and Inexpensive Ways to Unclog Your Kitchen Sink

Clogged sink is one of the most common and annoying problems that people have to face. But luckily there are a lot cheaper and easier to solve this problem than calling a plumber.

O awesome.club gathered some tips that will help you in this fight. Read carefully to remember them in time of suffocation.

Let’s start with a drastic solution. First, the magic starts with hot water. It helps to soften whatever is clogging up the plumbing, as well as getting some of the grease out.

Take 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of salt. Mix and throw down the drain. Heat a cup of vinegar. Before boiling, toss with the other ingredients. Cover immediately to prevent foam from rising. Wait 15 to 30 minutes; then finish the procedure with more hot water.

If the obstruction isn’t serious, or if it’s just beginning, you can opt for lighter measures. The salt will clean the plumbing, eliminating bacteria and unpleasant smells. As the effect is mild, you will likely have to repeat the process several times, especially if the clog is more than you expected.

Put half a cup of salt down the drain. Then pour boiling water over the salt. Open the faucet and let some water run. If you have hot water on tap, even better. Repeat the process if necessary.

The combination of vinegar and baking soda is a true classic when it comes to unclogging sinks. This solution is quick and simple.

Pour some boiling water down the drain. The more the better. Then add a cup of baking soda and let it sit for a few minutes. Mix boiling water and vinegar in a 1 to 1 ratio, then pour over the baking soda. Cover so that the mixture is better absorbed. Don’t let the foam come out. Finally, pour another cup of hot water and that’s it.

There is another way to eliminate mild problems. Unfortunately, it doesn’t solve the problem of hair in the drains.

Place two Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain. Pour a cup of vinegar and wait for the chemical reaction to end. Add a little boiling water to finish. Repeat the process if necessary.

Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) is a magical chemical that has the power to turn some solid substances into liquids. It is used as an ingredient in powerful clogs, and can even dissolve hair and other debris. See how to use this magic ingredient.

Fill a bucket with three liters of cold water. Add 750 ml of liquid caustic soda and mix well (do not touch the mixture with bare hands). Wait until the water starts to bubble and heat up. Pour the mixture down the drain and leave for 20 minutes. At the end, pour a pan with boiling water.

If the chemical reactions don’t work, you may have to do some physical cleaning. Part of the plumbing may have a bend where a lot of dirt accumulates.

First, get ready to clean. Remove the water from the sink so you don’t flood the kitchen when removing the screw. Place a bucket underneath for the water that accumulates and have some towels on hand to avoid mess. The plumbing ‘T’ has two tubes joined together, which can often be unscrewed. When disassembling the plumbing, start cleaning. Most likely you will find bits of food, fat or other leftovers. Clean the hard residues with your hands and use a brush to remove the grease residues. When finished, reassemble everything.

If you followed the previous step, before putting everything in place, you can use a ‘drain snake’.

Insert it into the tube and make circular movements. If you feel any obstruction, push a little. If the obstruction is too strong, try turning more to get through it. Do this a few times, always cleaning the ‘snake’. When there is no longer any obstruction, assemble everything and pour in plenty of hot water to clean the plumbing well.

A coat hanger is great for doing the same thing mentioned in the previous step (the snake), but when the problem isn’t too deep.

Take a wire hanger and pliers. Unroll the hanger and stretch it with the help of pliers. Use it to eliminate whatever is clogging up the plumbing.

Yes, the plunger was made for that. It is most likely the cheapest way to solve problems without having to buy objects or use chemicals.

First, if your sink has two drains, plug one to create a vacuum. Then use the plunger on the open drain. Turn on the faucet and let the water cover the plastic base of the plunger. Push and pull hard, but always keep it glued to the sink to use the equipment to your advantage. Do not be shy; make the move forcefully. Do six to 10 pumps and take it out to see if the water goes away. If not, repeat the process as many times as necessary. When the obstruction is cleared, pour hot water to remove any residue that may be left over.

This is perhaps the most unusual strategy on our list. The time has come to use the heavy artillery. But don’t do this with any vacuum cleaner, just a wet and dry one.

And don’t do it alone.

Prepare some rags, towels and a bucket in case of any problems. Stick the hose down the drain, ideally with a suction cup. Vacuum until the sound changes, which means the obstruction has been cleared. If it takes too long, turn it off and try again some time later, so as not to damage the pipe or the vacuum. When the clog is cleared, turn off the vacuum, carefully remove the hose, and pour some hot water down the drain. The method is not simple, but it is amazing.

Remember that this trick should only be used if the others don’t work. If you use any chemicals, wait at least eight hours before trying the vacuum technique.