Expert advice on how to remove a blockage in the kitchen sink at home

A clogged kitchen sink is a situation that almost everyone faces. In this case, the water either does not drain at all or leaves very slowly.

In most cases, you can correct the situation on your own, using mechanical cleaning methods, special chemistry, and even folk recipes.

This article will show you how to quickly and effectively remove a blockage from your kitchen sink at home.

Reasons for the appearance

Before you start cleaning the drain, it is recommended to determine the cause of the blockage. The main ones include the following:

1. Incorrect plumbing installation. This can be, for example, installing the drain pipes at the wrong angle.
2. Foreign objects entering the drain that block and clog the pipe.
3. Gradual accumulation of fat and other deposits in the pipes.

In cases where there is an incorrect installation, a simple pipe cleaning cannot be done.

How to clean it mechanically?

To eliminate blockages very often mechanical cleaning methods are used... These include the use of a glass, plunger or a special cable.

Plumbing cable

The cable for cleaning is often metal. It has a handle on one side and a split hard end for cleaning on the other.

Application:

1. The working part is lowered into the drain.
2. By turning the handle, the cable is advanced along the drain pipe.
3. After removing the cable from the drain, there may be debris at the end of the cable that obstructs the passage of water.
4. The procedure is repeated several times.
5. Check the quality of cleaning by pouring water into the sink.
6. If necessary, I repeat the processing.

You can watch the work with the cable in the following video:

Glass

For small blockages, when the water passes, but not as quickly as usual, even a regular glass can help.

Principle of operation:

• draw some water into the sink;
• lower the glass so that it covers the drain hole;
• press, and then abruptly take the hand with the glass up;
• repeat several times.

Cleaning with such methods is similar to the principle of action with a plunger, but it will not help to cope with serious blockages.

Ventuz

In the household, it is advisable to have a plunger - an easy-to-use tool that will help to cope with fresh blockages.

Procedure:

• collect some water in the sink;
• install the plunger so that the drain is completely covered with a working nozzle;
• with an effort to press the plunger and pull it sharply;
• repeat the treatment several times in a row, even if the plug has already been removed.

In addition to the usual plunger, pneumatic models can be used.

How to remove folk remedies?

Even simple homemade recipes can help solve the blockage problem. But it is better to use them in cases where the blockage is not strong. If the water does not leave the sink at all, it must be bled out before cleaning.

Boiling water

This is the simplest and most affordable one.

Procedure:

1. Bring to a boil at least 1.5 liters of water.
2. Drain the boiling water into the sink, trying to direct the stream into the drain.
3. If the water began to leave, then after 1.5 hours the procedure must be repeated. Otherwise, you will have to try another option for cleaning the drain.

Vinegar and baking soda against body fat

The baking soda and vinegar method can be used to clear the blockage caused by food debris, especially oily food.

Procedure:

• remove all water from the sink;
• pour ½ a packet of soda into the drain hole;
• pour in ½ cup vinegar;
• plug the drain hole to ensure the passage of the chemical reaction in the pipes, and not on the surface of the sink;
• wait until the chemical reaction with the formation of foam is over;
• pour 1.5 liters of boiling water (hot water) into the sink drain;
• run cold water for 3 minutes to rinse the drain.

Cleaning with baking soda and vinegar can be used prophylactically.

Hangover pills

If the blockage is not severe, and soda is not at hand, you can use effervescent hangover tablets. Alka-Seltzer will do.

The application is simple:

1. In a saucepan, mix 2-3 tablets of the drug with a glass of vinegar.
2. Quickly pour the foaming solution into the drain.
3. Plug the hole immediately with a rag.
4. After 10 minutes, start up the water under pressure.

Alternative use of tablets:

1. Grind and add 2 tablets to the drain.
2. Pour in a glass of vinegar.
3. Plug the drain hole in the sink.
4. Hold for a few minutes for the reaction to pass.
5. Run hot water.

Salt and soda

Deposits on drain pipes in kitchens are prone to grease deposits that enter the pipes when washing dishes.

Application procedure:

1. combine 4 tablespoons of salt with 2 tablespoons of soda in a container;
2. pour two glasses of water;
3. pour into the drain;
4. plug the drain hole of the kitchen sink;
5. stand for 10 minutes;
6. start up hot water.

This method cannot cope with old blockages.

How to quickly remove with special chemistry?

Various preparations can be used to unclog the kitchen drain. They are available in liquid form, in the form of granules in sachets.

Bagi Shumanit

The drug made in Israel is produced in granular form... It allows you to completely eliminate the blockage in just 3 minutes, dissolving food debris and fat accumulations. Shumanit is suitable for all types of pipes. In the composition - sodium hydroxide.

For the product to work, you need to remove the water from the sink. The contents of the sachet are poured into the drain and ½ glass of hot water is poured. After 3 minutes, wash the sink with a large stream of water.

Advantages:

• destruction of bacteria;
• elimination of odors;
• very high efficiency;
• fast action;
• dissolution of organic and inorganic substances.

Minuses:

• high price;
• caustic composition.

The average cost of a package is 150 rubles. The product is also available in the form of a gel.

Gel Mr. Muscle

The preparation in the form of a gel is an effective remedy that acts in a few minutes. If the situation with the plug is runny, the product may take longer to clear the drain.

Advantages:

• efficiency;
• ease of use;
• elimination of bacteria.

Minuses:

• caustic composition;
• price;
• large expense of funds;
• for neglected cases it will take several hours.

Price - 300 rubles.

Tiret Turbo

The gel is intended for cleaning pipes at home. Suitable for all types of pipes. The composition contains chlorine. A single treatment of one drain hole requires 250 ml of the product.

Advantages:

• efficiency;
• works even with water in the sink;
• eliminates bacteria.

Minuses:

• price;
• high consumption.

The cost is up to 400 rubles.

Dismantling the siphon

There is a siphon located directly under the kitchen sink - a simple design that can be disassembled. This method is very effective when the cause of the blockage is in the siphon. After all, the water draining from the sink first enters it.

Procedure:

1. Free up space under the sink.
2. Place a bucket under the siphon.
3. It is necessary to unscrew the plastic nuts holding the siphon. Or, you can only unscrew the siphon sump nut. In this case, the entire contents of the sump will pour into the bucket.
4. Clean and rinse the removed part.
5. It is also possible to detach the corrugated pipe to the drain and flush it as well.
6. Install all elements in their original place.

The procedure for cleaning the siphon can be seen in the video:

Features of cleaning plastic pipes

Cleaning plastic pipes requires special care. Despite its strength, the material from which the drainage system is made is susceptible to mechanical damage and exposure to very high temperatures.

The inner surface of the pipes is quite smooth; with proper installation, blockages in such a system occur less often than in cast-iron drainage systems. This is explained by plastic is not prone to corrosion and adhesion of various substances to the surface.

But during operation, food particles that fall into the drain in the kitchen can be deposited, provoking a blockage. The best approaches to cleaning are the use of a plunger, the use of home and special products.

Plumber call

In situations where it was not possible to cope with the blockage on your own, you will have to seek the help of a plumber.

Also, the intervention of a specialist will be needed even then, when the problem with the blockage is related to the drainage system in the apartment or with a riser in the house.

The cost of the service is determined by the complexity of the problem, the necessary cleaning work. If it is necessary to replace units or individual parts, the customer pays for them separately. On average, in the capital, cleaning a blockage in a sink will cost from 500 rubles.

Prohibitions on cleaning

Getting started cleaning the clogged kitchen sink, it is necessary to remember about a number of prohibitions:

1. Do not start punching the cork if there are dishes in the sink. Be sure to remove it and food in advance.
2. Do not take on work without rubber gloves. This is especially important when using purchased chemicals, since such products have an aggressive composition.
3. Do not use chemicals for cleaning pipes that are not intended for this purpose. They can give off toxic fumes and even damage pipes.
4. You should not pour into the drain all the funds that came to hand at the same time, as this can harm communications.

Preventive measures

So that blockages do not arise constantly, preventive measures should be taken into account:

• periodically you need to rinse the sink by draining boiling water or hot water, if the pipes are made of plastic;
• it is imperative to insert a special strainer into the drain of the kitchen sink, which will prevent large fragments of food waste from entering the drain;
• you should not shake out bread crumbs into the sink, wash off the tea leaves, pour out the fatty slurry, as all this will stick to the pipes and accumulate in the siphon.

Tips from professionals

Plumber's tips will help you do better cleaning kitchen sink:

1. If blockage of pipes is a frequent and regular phenomenon in the house, then it makes sense to purchase a plumbing cable. It is inexpensive and will last for years. A comfortable handle at one end is a must.
2. If the problem with blockages is related to installation errors, it is recommended to correct them, since otherwise blockages will occur constantly.
3. If the blockage was pierced with a rope, then it must be cleaned of dirt and dried. Store - rolled up in a dry place.
4. It is better to clean the drains in the kitchen with an open window so that there is an influx of fresh air, since the smell in most cases will be unpleasant.
5. The combination of mechanical and chemical methods makes pipe cleaning more efficient. For example, use a plunger, and then use special household chemicals.

Conclusion

There are various ways to remove a blockage in the kitchen sink. You can use both household chemicals marked "from blockages" and mechanical methods or folk recipes. In situations when the problem is global, and you cannot cope with it on your own, you will need the help of a plumber.