clogged kitchen sink

A clogged sink in your life is never fun. That’s why we’re here to help! Whether you’re facing a clog in your kitchen or bathroom, we’ve got the solution.

So, Your Kitchen Sink Is Clogged?

Oh no! Let’s find a solution to unclog your kitchen sink. There are a number of things that could be the cause of the stoppage in your sink. Time to get to the bottom of it: get those DIY gloves out!

First of all, make sure that it is not actually your garbage disposal that is clogged. Run the disposal and see if that clears up the issue. If you suspect that your garbage disposal is not running correctly, check out our article on how to fix your garbage disposal if it’s stuck, clogged, or leaking.

Now that you’ve figured out that this is, in fact, a sink issue, let’s get it taken care of. Here a few at-home remedies to try to de-clog your kitchen sink drain for basic homeowners.

Mixture-Based Un-Clogging Solutions

There are a couple of solutions that you can mix up at home that will act as a natural drain cleaner to unclog your sink. Make sure to put on your gloves!

Note: Before putting any of these solutions down your sink, clear out as much of the water that has accumulated in your sink as you can. Use a cup or small bucket if necessary.

  • Pour boiling water down the sink drain. You may need to let it cool and repeat multiple times in order for this trick to take.
  • Try putting about half a cup of salt down the drain before pouring boiling water into the sink drain.

Baking Sode Drain Cleaner Solutions

  • Pour a baking soda-vinegar solution down the drain (about 1 cup of each). You may need to use a kitchen tool to push the baking soda down the drain.

Put the stopper in and give it about 20 or so minutes to let the solution do its unclogging magic! Then wash out the drain with some warm water. Repeat if necessary.

  • Or a baking soda-salt solution! You’re becoming a regular old scientist!

Use about a cup of baking soda and half a cup of salt, and push it down the drain. This one needs to sit for a couple of hours, and then go ahead and try to flush it out with boiling water. Repeat if necessary.

Un-Clogging A Sink With A Plunger

Plungers aren’t just for toilet clogs! They are multi-purpose tools that can also be used for sink clogs.

In order to do this, your plunger will need a tight seal. Block off the drain for the second sink with a stopper or a washcloth (if you have a double sink), and fill the sink with the drain clog up with enough water to cover the head of the plunger.

Now go ham! Plunge the drain opening quickly with as much strength as you can until you hear the suction clear the clog. Rinse well with warm water.

  • If none of the solutions above work out for you, it’s time to get creative. While you probably use these for hanging up your wardrobe, coat hangers also can help out with drain clogs. Coat hangers can act as a kind of plumber’s snake if you straighten them out and use the wire for the same purpose.

Being careful not to scratch the sink drain, push the straightened out wire hanger into your sink drain to try to pull out the cause of the clog. You can follow this process by using one of the mixture-based solutions above to clear out any remaining clog particles.

Note: Often times, the kitchen sink drain will be attached to the dishwasher. This may be the case in your home. If so, a clogged dishwasher might actually be the source of the issue! Call GEM Plumbing to investigate the possibility further. After all, they are experts in drain-cleaning!

If none of the remedies above helped to fix your issue, give us a call. GEM Plumbing specializes in Drain Cleaning, and has access to some of the best drain-cleaning technology in the industry (including hydro jetting!). We will investigate the source of the issue and get things fixed up as quickly as can be!

So, Your Bathroom Sink Is Clogged?

We are so sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with your bathroom sink. Let’s find a solution that unclogs it ASAP! There are a number of things that could be the cause of the stoppage in your sink. Time to get to the bottom of it: put your DIY plumber’s hat on!

Your bathroom sink is nearly the same as your kitchen sink in its plumbing structure!.This means that you can use all of the same mixture-based solutions described above in your bathroom sink, too that will act as a natural drain cleaner to unclog your sink.

Before you attempt any of these sink unclogging tricks, make sure to:

  1. Empty out the space below your sink
  2. Position a bucket below the sink for any water tricking
  3. Take out the sink stopper

Unclogging Your Sink Using Boiling Water

Pour boiling water down the sink drain. You may need to let it cool and repeat multiple times in order for this trick to take.

Unclogging Your Sink Using A Saltwater Mixture

Try putting about half a cup of salt down the drain before pouring boiling water into the sink drain.

Baking Soda Drain Cleaner Solutions

  1. Unclogging your sink using a baking soda-vinegar solution:
    1. First, push the baking soda down the drain, followed by pouring in the vinegar (about 1 cup of each). You may need to use a kitchen tool to push the baking soda down the drain.
    2. Put the stopper in and give it about 20 or so minutes to let the solution do its unclogging magic! Then wash out the drain with some warm water. Repeat if necessary.
  2. Unclogging your sink using a baking soda-salt solution
    1. Use about a cup of baking soda and half a cup of salt, and push it down the drain. This one needs to sit for a couple of hours, and then go ahead and try to flush it out with boiling water. Repeat if necessary.

Unclogging Your Sink With A Wet-Dry Vacuum

Using the liquid feature of your wet-dry vacuum on the highest setting, remove all of the particles, hair, or whatever else is in there causing your clog. Make sure that the drain is tightly sealed (using a plunger head can do the trick!), and the vacuum can take it from there! The suction should be strong enough to remove the source of the clog.

Unclogging Your Sink With A Wire Hanger

Coat hangers can act as a kind of plumber’s snake if you straighten them out and use the wire for the same purpose.

Being careful not to scratch the sink drain, push the straightened out wire hanger into your sink drain to try to pull out the cause of the clog. You can follow this process by using one of the mixture-based solutions above to clear out any remaining clog particles.

Is The Location Of Your Bathroom Clog Elsewhere?

If your shower or bathtub drain is clogged, the solutions described above can work for those tough spots too! Give any of the mixture-based or tool-based solutions for unclogging your bathroom or kitchen sink to unclog your shower drain or your tub drain.

If it is a toilet clog that you are facing, we can help you out with that too! Check out our article on how to unclog your toilet.

Want to know more? For more information on unclogging drains in your home, check out our article on how to clean drain pipes.

Did these at-home tips and tricks to face bathroom clogs not solve your issue? GEM Plumbing is here to help. Learn more about our Plumbing and Drain Cleaning services, and book an appointment with a GEM Plumbing specialist, and they will get things taken care of for you, so that you can get your drains back to their clean, unclogged selves!

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