CLEARING A DRAIN
The first thing you should try is boiling a few gallons of water and carefully pour it down the sink. This measure is for slow drains, not clogged!
Unlike the kitchen or utility sink which both get purged clean by hot water, your bathroom sink needs a good flushing now and then.
Once a month, boil a few gallons of water and carefully pour it down the sink. Boiled water is significant hotter than tap water and it will help dissolve soapy, greasy materials that are coating the walls of your pipes.
PLUNGER
It is time to get out the plunger. Partially fill the sink with water to cover the plunger head. If you have a double sink or an overflow opening, stuff a wet rag into the second drain or opening. This will focus the plunging pressure on the clog.
Now plunge up and down vigorously, keeping the plunger sealed against the bottom of the sink. If you do not feel enough resistance, then air may be escaping through the second drain or overflow opening. Have a helper hold the wet rag or plastic bag firmly over the drain or overflow.
When using a plunger, the upward motion creates more pressure to free the clog
VINEGAR & BAKING SODA
Once you have broken the clog loose, the following will clear up any leftover debris:
1.
Place 2 TBSP baking soda in drain
2.Pour approximately 1 cup of vinegar in drain
3.Let sit for 15 minutes
4.Flush pipe out with hot water
Vinegar is a natural acid and will help dissolve leftover soap, grease, and hard water deposits. The baking soda is to create a foam so the vinegar coats as much of the pipe as possible; it also creates a boiling action that help break loose hard deposits.
Using the baking soda and vinegar, as preventive maintenance will help prevent future clogs. I do this routine approximately every six months (or when I remember) in all drains that get heavy use; Kitchen, Laundry, Bathroom.
DRAIN AUGER
If the clog is too stubborn for the plunger, it is time to try the drain auger. Generally you have 2 choices when using the auger. You can go in through the drain or you can remove the trap and go into the horizontal drain line. Use your judgment based on where you think the clog is located.
I will remove the trap in either case. If the clog is in the trap, it can be easily cleaned out in another sink or by using water from a garden hose.
You can remove the trap using large channel locks or a pipe wrench. Wrap a rag around the area you are clamping onto. This will prevent the teeth of the tool from marring the pipe surface. Remove the two nuts that hold the trap. You need direct access into the horizontal stretch of pipe. Be sure to put a bucket under the trap to catch the water contained in the trap.
The most suitable auger is a coiled cable that wraps inside a housing. The housing should have a handle and a crank on it for spinning the cable inside the drain. Using a sensitive touch, feed the cable into the drain or horizontal pipe. When you feel some resistance, you are probably up against your clog.
Pull an extra 18 inches of cable out of the housing, tighten the setscrew securing the cable, and turn the crank on the auger applying moderate force so that you push the cable into the drain or pipe. When the free cable has worked its way into the pipe, loosen the setscrew and pull out another 18 inches. Continue this procedure until the cable has reached the larger vertical pipe. Pull the cable back out, cleaning it and feeding it back into the housing as you go.
If you removed the trap, replace it now. The nuts holding the drain in place should be put on hand tight and then turned about a quarter turn with the wrench or channel locks. Do not over tighten!
Once the trap is replaced, run hot water through the drain to flush it out. If water backs up, there may still be some loose debris in the line left behind by the auger. Try plunging to get rid of this debris. Again, flush the drain with hot water.
If all has failed, you may want to bite the bullet and call a professional.
ITEMS NOT RECOMMENDED
Unless you are trained in the operation of a power snake, I do not suggest renting one and attempting to clear a line.
These machines turn the cable at rates from 30 rpm to 640 rmp, depending on the equipment. Like all power tools, they can cause damage to the property, user, or itself when used improperly. If a person rents one and breaks or kinks the cable, they could be liable for its replacement. By they way, they are not cheap.
The best way to unclog a drain is mechanically versus chemically. Most chemical treatments can handle minor clogs in the trap area, but are not very effective in the horizontal line just beyond the trap. The more caustic chemicals are hazardous to use and can even damage your pipes. Whenever possible, try to employ mechanical measures.
If you call a Sewer and Drain company, please inform the technician if you have used a chemical. Most approach all jobs as if they have been used, but this will remind the technician to protect himself and your property from damages these chemicals can cause.
Balloons, attachments that can be added to a hose to pressurize the pipe, are a good method to clear some lines. Just take care not to pressurize towards the house, or you may flood a bathroom, kitchen, or other area with a drain. Remember that these only work on pipes that do not have a drain or vent between the point you are working at and the clog.
