Your kitchen sink is one of the highest traffic areas in your house. You prepare meals there, wash dishes, get water for cleaning and a host of other tasks involve the sink. Well it’s no wonder then that from time to time your kitchen sink drain will slow down or become completely clogged. If that happens, here are the steps to get the problem of your clogged kitchen sink resolved so you don’t have to call a plumbing professional.
Step 1 – Try using hot water to free the clog
If you are like most people you may not take the time to always put your cooking grease into a container and then put it in the trash. It is so convenient to just run hot water and let that goo go down the drain; the problem is that grease turns back into a solid almost the minute it hits the cold pipes. Hot water should free up the line in your clogged kitchen sink if indeed grease is your problem.
Step 2 – Make a Vinegar and Baking Soda Solution
If hot water did not do the trick then don’t automatically reach for those expensive store bought chemicals that don’t always free up your clogged kitchen sink anyway. Try a simple and inexpensive baking soda and vinegar mix. This is a proven remedy for plugged up drains and it will usually work in 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 3 – Use a Plunger
Do it the old fashioned way and try using a plunger (please clean it first before using it on your kitchen sink). Make sure the larger rubber end seals off the air access all around the drain so that when you plunge the majority of the forced air goes down the clogged kitchen sink drain. Repeat this several times before you give up.
Step 4 – Disassemble the trap
If you look under your clogged kitchen sink you will see a pipe coming down from the drain that suddenly bends into a U-shape before the plumbing line goes further; that U-shaped section is called a trap because many solid particles collect inside that portion of the pipe. These days’ traps are made to come apart very easily so you can remove any solid debris that gets caught in them. A pair of channel lock pliers is all you will need to loosen the threaded couplings that hold the trap securely onto the pipe.
Step 5 – The Plumbing Snake
If all else fails it is time to try a plumbing snake. These are basically long pieces of flexible wire that have some sort of cutting shape at the end; when they are inserted into the plumbing line and rotated they will cut through just about anything that can work its way into a drain. These can be hand cranked or electrical. Make sure you read the instructions that come with them carefully and pay particular attention to safety.
Step 6 – Call a Professional
Sometimes it is best to just call a professional plumber to handle the problem for you. They will expertly free up that clogged kitchen sink for you and do it in a quick, safe and thorough manner.