If it seems to take forever for the water to drain completely in your sink or shower, you probably have a clogged drain. While it can be a nuisance, the good news is that it is also relatively easy to fix. Here are some quick tips to unclog your sink or shower drain.
The Problem: Clogged Shower Drain
When the drain in your bathtub or shower fails to drain normally, it is usually the result of soap scum and hair buildup.
To clear the drain:
- If your shower has an internal stopper, remove it, then carefully clean it to remove any hair, soap scum or other materials that may have built up.
- Not fixed? Feed a plumbing snake into the drain to reach and break up any clogs located further down the pipe.
- Still not draining? Try plunging the drain with a plunger. Don’t use the same plunger you use on your toilet for sanitary reasons.
While commercial drain cleaning chemicals are another potential solution to your clogged drain, chemicals typically only provide a temporary fix, and can damage your pipes if you rely on them too often.
The Problem: Clogged Bathroom Sink
While you may not realize it, a lot more goes down our bathroom sink drains than we might think. Toothpaste, soap, dirt and hair are commonly rinsed down the drain, and can often accumulate in the pipes, leading to a clog.
To clear the drain:
- First, remove and clean the drain stopper. This is where most clogs start. And while it can be a little messy, it is also relatively easy to clear out the clog.
- If that doesn’t do the trick, try using a wire hanger to pull out any hair or other debris you weren’t able to reach.
- Should that fail to solve the problem, it’s time to break out the plumbing snake to reach any clogs that are located further down the drain.
- Still not fixed? Try using a plunger or removing the elbow joint beneath the sink and cleaning the P-trap.
One way you can prevent future clogs from forming is by putting a mesh strainer over the drain to help catch hair and other foreign materials from going down the drain.
The Problem: Clogged Kitchen Sink
While a lot of gook goes down the bathroom sink, even more foreign material ends up going down a typical kitchen sink, particularly food and grease. The combination can quickly lead to stubborn clogs in your pipe, especially if you accidentally put food that can expand in water down the drain, such as rice or noodles.
To clear the drain:
- Pour boiling water down the drain. This can soften grease that has solidified in your pipes, breaking it up and sending it down the pipe.
- If hot water doesn’t get the job done, use a sink plunger. If you have a double sink, be sure to use a wet cloth to cover the drain in the second basin in order to create the necessary pressure within the pipe.
- Clog still won’t budge? Remove and clean the P-trap, then insert the plumbing snake to break up any hard-to-reach clogs.
If your efforts to clear these stubborn clogs aren’t paying off, don’t despair. Give the experienced team of drain experts at EcoClean a call. We can professionally clean your pipes, restoring normal water flow and draining.
