Hair at the stopper causes most bathroom clogs. Work from the easiest fix down.
Bathroom sinks usually slow down from hair and soap building up on the pop-up stopper and just below it. Difficulty: Level 1: First Wins. Plan on 10 to 45 min.
Safety: If you already poured a chemical drain cleaner, don't plunge or open the pipes. Flush with plenty of water first; the chemical can splash.
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If you already poured a chemical drain cleaner, don't plunge or open the pipes. Flush with plenty of water first; the chemical can splash.
Pull the pop-up stopper out. Some lift straight out, some twist, and others release when you loosen the pivot nut on the back of the drain pipe under the sink.
Clean the hair and gunk off the stopper.
Push a plastic drain snake down the drain and pull it back slowly. Repeat until it comes up clean.
Run hot water for a minute, then reinstall the stopper.
In a sink with a disposal, the disposal is the most common cause of slow draining.
A jammed or clogged disposal often causes a slow kitchen sink. Use the Garbage Disposal guide first: it covers jams, the reset button and drain problems.
Kitchen sinks clog with grease and food, often close enough to the drain for a plunger to push it through. Difficulty: Level 1: First Wins. Plan on 10 to 45 min.
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For a double sink, seal the other drain with a wet rag or stopper so the pressure goes toward the clog.
Put an inch or two of water in the sink, seat the cup plunger over the drain, and plunge firmly 10 to 15 times.
Run hot water to check the flow.
The U-shaped trap under the sink holds water to block sewer gas, and it also catches debris that builds into a clog. Difficulty: Level 1: First Wins. Plan on 10 to 45 min.
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Put a bucket under the U-shaped trap below the sink.
Loosen the two slip nuts by hand or with pliers and remove the trap.
Clean it out and check the pipe going into the wall.
Reinstall it hand-tight plus about a quarter turn, run water, and check for drips.
If the trap is clear, the clog is further down the pipe inside the wall, beyond a plunger's reach. Difficulty: Level 1: First Wins. Plan on 10 to 45 min.
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With the trap off, feed the auger cable into the pipe going into the wall.
Crank as you push. When you hit resistance, keep turning to break through or grab the clog.
Pull the cable back slowly, reinstall the trap, and flush with hot water.
When several drains are slow, or water comes up in a tub or floor drain when you use another fixture, the clog is usually in the main drain line, not one sink.
Use as little water as possible and call a plumber or drain-cleaning service. They have the long machine augers and cameras this needs.
If the clog is past the trap and a hand auger can't clear it, it's deeper in the line. A plumber can clear it without damaging your pipes.