How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink

Don’t you hate it when the bathroom sink clogs and the water doesn’t drain? A slow drain makes it difficult to perform your morning routine, leaving the sink slimy with soap scum. Discover how to unclog a bathroom sink by removing the standing water and cleaning the drain pipe and sink trap.

It’s typical to experience a clog in the kitchen sink since you flush food particles, grease, and other debris down the drain when rinsing dishes. But, you don’t expect a clogged bathroom sink. Nonetheless, bathroom sinks accumulate soap, lotion, and other residue in the drain opening, eventually leading to a clogged drain.

While a plumbing service may be necessary for extreme clogs and pipe blockages, many home remedies work to unclog a minor to moderate bathroom drain problem. Sometimes all you need is a plunger to remove the clog. Other times white vinegar and baking soda loosen the clogged material.

Ways to Unclog a Bathroom Sink

A drain clog is annoying in a kitchen or bathroom sink drain. The water begins to drain slowly, eventually not at all, leaving the sink full of dirty water. Unclogging a bathroom drain with a homemade or chemical drain cleaner is possible.

What Causes Bathroom Sink Clogs?

You brush your teeth and wash your hands and face in the bathroom sink. What causes a bathroom sink to clog if the only things going down the drain opening are soap, toothpaste, and water?

You have a slow-running drain if the water in the bathroom sink doesn’t drain completely after a minute or two. A slow drain is an indication of buildup and an impending drain clog.

Generally, bathroom clogs result from hair shedding, face shaving, and soap scum. Clogs also occur when something falls down the drain, such as dental floss, jewelry, tissue paper, or a cotton swab.

Tools for Unclogging Sinks

Most of us didn’t go to plumbing school, so it’s easy to understand why terms like drain auger and drain snake are confusing. Learn about some typical plumbing tools for unclogging drains and how they work.

Plungers are one of the most common items for unclogging drains. They include flat cup plungers and flange plungers, and they force minor clogs down drains through water pressure. Chemical drain cleaners create a chemical reaction to break up clogs, and they come in powder, gel, and liquid forms.

A drain snake is a long spiraling tool you thread down into the drain to pull out clogs. One side has a corkscrew shape, and the other has a hand crank. A drain auger has a closed-tip spear that pushes into clogs, forcing them toward the sewer line.

Unclogging a Bathroom Sink With Standing Water

Unclogging a bathroom sink with standing water is more challenging than removing clogs from a dry sink. Remove as much water as possible before you use a cleaner or tool in the sink drain for the best results.

Place a large bucket beside the sink and scoop out the standing water with a small container. Place a towel beneath the bucket to catch splatters and keep the area clean. Remove water until most of it is gone, and empty the bucket in the toilet or outside.

How to Clean a Sink Drain to Remove Hair

Hair is one of the main culprits that clog bathroom sinks, and regular drain cleaners aren’t enough to clear the drain. It might come from shaving or after brushing your hair, eventually blocking the drain pipe. Learn how to clean a sink drain to remove hair.

Put on rubber gloves and locate the hair clog with a flashlight. Use needle-nose pliers or large tweezers to grasp the hair and carefully pull it out of the drain. Use the pokey end of a wire hanger to loosen the hair if it’s stuck, and continue removing the debris from the pipe until it’s gone.

How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink

It’s best to take action as soon as you notice the water in the bathroom sink does not drain as quickly as it used to. Boiling water is excellent for clearing a backed up bathroom sink fast. The hot water dissolves soap and gunk, flushing it down the pipe.

Quick Drain Cleaning

Boil a large pot of water. Carefully and slowly pour the hot water directly into the bathroom sink drain. Do not touch the water with your hands to prevent burns; pour it slowly as it melts the gunk and flushes down the drain pipe. Check to see if the clog is gone, and repeat the steps if necessary.

Unclog a Bathroom Sink With Baking Soda and Vinegar

White vinegar and baking soda are everyday household items. They are inexpensive and have many uses, including unclogging drains. Find out how to clean a sink drain by combining these natural ingredients.

Remove the sink stopper and shake a half cup of baking soda or sodium bicarbonate into the drain. Try to get as much of the powder down into the pipe as possible and pour enough white vinegar over the baking soda to create bubbling around the sides of the drain.

Replace the drain stopper and let it sit overnight for optimal results. In the morning, remove the stopper and pour hot water down the drain. Repeat the steps if the water does not go down the drain quickly.

Unclog a Bathroom Sink With Salt and Baking Soda

Baking soda and salt work together to loosen a sink clog. These two ingredients are safe and natural alternatives to chemical treatments.

Mix a half cup each of baking soda and salt in a container and pour the powder directly into the sink drain. Wait for 15 minutes and pour boiling water into the pipe.

Remove a Bathroom Drain Clog With Zip-It

The Zip-It drain cleaner is an inexpensive plumbing tool great for removing hair and gunk from a drain. It’s a thin, flat plastic strip with a series of teeth, and its flexibility makes it ideal for getting into hard-to-reach areas.

Simple Drain Cleaning

Place the Zip-It into the sink drain as far as it will go, and rock it back and forth to loosen debris. Slowly pull the tool out of the drain and remove the hair and other bits from the teeth. Continue inserting the device into the drain and removing hair until the plastic comes out clean.

Remove Bathroom Sink Clogs With a Plunger

Boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar don’t work well to clean a drain when the sink is full of water. It’s a good thing that plungers aren’t just for toilets. They’re excellent for unclogging a bathroom sink with standing water.

Bathroom Sink Plunging

Use a flat cup plunger to plunge a clogged sink rather than a flange plunger. Flange plungers are meant for toilet clogs to move the clog over the bend. Flat cup plungers form around the seal of sink drains.

Ensure enough water is in the sink to cover the plunger head and remove the stopper. Position the flat-head plunger over the sink drain and gently push it. Avoid pushing too hard, which may loosen connections and cause sink leaks. Pump up and down for 15 seconds to see if the water drains down the sink.

Use a Drain Snake for Bathroom Sink Clogs

A drain snake is like a corkscrew for drains. But, unlike an auger that forces through the blockage, it unscrews clogged debris and pulls it out of the drain. It’s the perfect gadget for stubborn sink clogs. Learn how to clear a clogged bathroom sink with this handy plumber’s tool.

Place a bucket beneath the sink, and use a screwdriver or wrench to remove the P-trap. Remove it slowly as water begins running into the bucket. Insert the snake into the pipe as directed by the manufacturer, and continue until you hit the clog.

Secure the snake by tightening the nut near the handle, and twist the snake accordingly to grab hold of the clog. Once you no longer feel resistance, remove the snake, secure the P-trap, and check the sink to see if the clog is gone.

Clean the P-Trap to Remove Bathroom Sink Clogs

The P-trap is a curved part of the pipe beneath the sink, and its shape makes it a target for clogging. Things like hair and gunk get stuck within the P-trap, and it’s essential to clean it to fix the problem.

Grab a bucket and position it beneath the P-trap to get sludge out of your bathroom sink and drain. Use a wrench or screwdriver to remove the trap, depending on the type. Don’t remove the trap too quickly to avoid splashing water.

Once all the water drains out, use a bent wire hanger to pull hair, debris, and other gunk out of the pipe. This process gets very messy, and wearing rubber gloves is a good idea. Reassemble the P-trap after you remove all the clogs, and test the sink to ensure the water runs down the drain as it should.

Unclog a Bathroom Sink With Chemical Drain Cleaners

The most straightforward way to unclog bathroom sinks is with a chemical drain cleaner. There are many types available, depending on how nasty the clog is. Some clean drains with stubborn clogs and others are better for drain maintenance.

There are three main types of sink drain cleaners; acidic, enzymatic, and caustic. Acidic drain cleaners are made of sulfuric or hydrochloric acid and are tough enough to clear heavy-duty clogs. These types are ideal for removing food, hair, soap scum, and grease in 15 minutes or less. Don’t use these cleaners on old plastic or metal pipes.

Enzymatic drain cleaners use an enzyme bacteria to feed on clogs and are ideal for clog prevention. They are helpful for monthly maintenance to keep the drain clear and safe for use on older pipes.

Caustic drain cleaners contain sodium hydroxide or other alkaline chemicals. They eliminate clogs from soap buildup within 30 minutes. They are less toxic but may cause eye and nose irritation.

Use a Wet-Dry Vac to Unclog a Bathroom Sink

Some clogged items do not dissolve down the pipe, and it becomes necessary to suck the debris from the drain. A wet-dry vac is just the thing you need to get rid of a smelly drain in the kitchen or bathroom sink, as it sucks out all the gunk.

Set a bucket under the bathroom pipe beneath the sink, and use a wrench or screwdriver to remove the P-trap. Attach one end of the wet-dry vac hose to the vacuum and the other end to the vertical pipe going up to the sink.

Plug the sink with the stopper, and turn the vacuum to the wet setting. Pulse the vacuum power on and off a few times to help move the clog until it emerges.

Reinstall the P-trap and run water in the sink to ensure the clog is gone. If the sink drain is still clogged, repeat the process and use the wet-dry vac or a wire hanger to pull the drain material out of the pipe.

Things to Avoid When Unclogging a Sink

It’s understandable to get frustrated when removing a clog from a drain. Yet, too much force or the wrong equipment may worsen the clog or damage the plumbing. Learn what not to do when unclogging the bathroom drain.

Drain Unclogging Precautions

Resist adding more water to a completely blocked drain unless you require water for plunging. Always check the drain stopper when cleaning the drain since hair and other material sometimes wrap around the end, causing a clog.

Don’t use too much force when plunging, which may damage drain line connections. Likewise, don’t forcefully pound at the clog with an auger. This motion harms pipes and trap connectors.

Always wear safety glasses and a mask when treating the sink drain with a caustic or acidic cleaner since these types may cause skin, eyes, nose, and lung irritation. Do not use an acidic drain cleaner on plastic or metal pipes over 20 years old.

When Is it Time to Call the Plumber?

If you remove standing water from a bathroom sink and take all the steps to unclog the drain, yet it’s still clogged, it’s time to call a professional. The bathroom clog may be from something other than soap scum or hair, and a plumber has more advanced tools for the job.

Professional Clog Removal

A bathroom sink or toilet that does not drain at all, even after using chemical cleaners and the best home remedies for your toilet, may indicate a bigger issue. For example, something may be stuck further down the line, or you have a damaged pipe.

A plumber determines the problem and uses the proper tools, like a powered auger and devices on the main line, to fix the issue and unclog the sink.

Ways to Prevent Clogs in the Bathroom Sink

Bathroom clogs take time to clear, and you often have to try several methods before unclogging the drain. The simplest way to avoid this messy job is to stop it in the first place. Find tips for keeping the bathroom sink drain clear.

Bathroom Sink Clog Prevention

Clean sink stoppers regularly. A drain stopper collects debris and hair, stopping them from entering the pipe. Run hot water down the sink drain to flush soap, lotion, and other residue away after each use. A great way to stop this accumulation is to pour boiling water into the drain weekly or monthly, depending on how much you use the sink.

Avoid flushing hair down the bathroom sink drain. As small as they are, even tiny beard hairs create clogs as they cling to scum inside the pipe. Invest in a screen or grate to trap the hair before it goes down the drain.

A clogged sink is frustrating. The water either drains slowly or not at all. Eventually, the problem becomes so severe that it’s necessary to call emergency plumbing services.

It’s vital to clean the bathroom sink drain as soon as you notice a drain clog. Luckily, a clog is easy to remedy, whether you use a drain cleaner or pipe cleaning tool.

We hope that discovering how to unclog a bathroom sink keeps your bathroom drain clear of debris, and we’d love it if you’d share our tips for cleaning a bathroom sink drain with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest.