One of our bathroom sinks is very slow when it comes to draining water. I have tried the Liquid Plumber and Drano products, but they don't work as advertised? Does anyone have any suggestions?
2007-01-01 10:23:03 · 11 answers · asked by Scott S 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I have been happy with an enzymatic drain cleaner. They use natural bacteria to literally eat the crud in the drain. After several applications, like three or four, I have seen a large increase in the water flow.
Foaming drain cleaner can also help. It gets to places that regular liquid and get can't get to.
Even plunging can dredge up a lot of stuff. If nothing else, it breaks it up.
Last, but not least, I have used boiling water. Just plain water. I will plunge the drain, wait for it to empty, pour in the boiling water, and plunge some more. Obviously, be careful not to get the hot water on you.
If none of these help, remove the trap and clean it out. You will be amazed how much you get out of it. Also how much hair there is in there. Note: this is dirty and messy, but worth the effort.
The fact that you have already tried other products makes me think that removing the trap is going to be the best solution. It's the messiest, but the most effective.
2007-01-01 10:34:55 · answer #1 · answered by DSM Handyman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remove the stopper (it's a fairly easy job). You probably have a mess of hair in there.
The Drano-type products remove/dissolve hair caught in the trap (the curved part of the pipe). Hair tends to get caught in the stopper, and wouldn't be affected by a drain cleaner.
If that doesn't work, you could take apart the trap. Be sure you have thoroughly flushed it with water so you don't have any of the Drano product left in the trap.
ADD: Here's some instructions re the stopper:
If you can't pull it straight out or it won't by turning counter clockwise,then you have to reach behind the drain pipe under the sink and locate the lever with a rod attached to it going into the pipe. There should be a nut on the back of the pipe,holding the rod in. Turn the nut off and pull the rod out of the pipe being careful nothing falls out,like a washer possibly.
Then the stopper will come out. You will see a hole in the back of the stopper where the rod goes when you put it back together.
2007-01-01 18:31:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Start at the top and work your way down. If it's a bathroom sink it probably has a stopper that you operate with a button behind the faucet. Assuming so: that mechanism offers lots of places for junk to collect. Look under the sink and see how it works. Unscrew the holder that holds the operating rod into the drain pipe, and pull the operating rod out. This allows you to remove the stopper. Clean all the hair and mold and build-up off of it. Before you reassemble it check and see if the drain problem is fixed.
Some bathroom drains will drain slowly simply because whoever assembled this mechanism didn't set it to raise the stopper high enough!
If that doesn't fix it, now you should be able to look all the way down the drain to the trap (the U-shaped part) and see what's there with a flashlight. With a long pair of kitchen tongs or skewer you might even be able to scoop it out. If the problem is beyond the trap, the problem is more serious.
gw
2007-01-01 19:03:14 · answer #3 · answered by gary 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try vacuuming it out with a shop vac. That should remove the clog. If you can see that it is a mass of hair and stuff, you may also need to cut and straighten a coat hanger with a needle-nose pliers, bend a little hook on one end, insert it down the drain and carefully pull out the mass. Then I would carefully bend the coathanger into a ball so that no sharp ends are sticking out and dispose of it. Usually, though, a shop vac will do the trick. I have helped my landlord do bathroom sinks, kitchen sinks, bathtubs, and even toilets. Got a rubber Duckie out that way! Saved a lot of time and money. Good Luck!
2007-01-01 18:36:55 · answer #4 · answered by gabriel3791 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've used all kinds of products the best I've found to do the trick and its funny cuz i just got done doing this a few minutes ago is to,take 2 alka seltzer tablets and crush them in the drain then pour some vinegar really doesn't matter which ones i use cider or balsamic i just tried balsamic today worked good let set 5 minutes then pour boiling water down drain or hot hot water let run a few minutes should do the trick .
good luck
2007-01-01 18:57:18 · answer #5 · answered by bunnie3663@sbcglobal.net 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Had the same problem. A very nice man from the Water and Sewer Department told us to pour boiling water down the drain. It took several pots but it opened up the drain and we haven't had any problems since. Also we used the boiling water to open up the drain line in my Mother-in-laws kitchen.
2007-01-01 18:48:59 · answer #6 · answered by Beth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would do the dirty task of removing the drain stopper and clean the hair out by your hands. I am sure that would be the culprit and no drain cleaner will help it.
2007-01-01 20:50:23 · answer #7 · answered by schell_75 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get some draino or go to a store like Kroger or a dollar general store and they should have some stuff for slow draining
2007-01-01 18:31:43 · answer #8 · answered by trina o 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try putting a quart of Kerosene down it once a month. It really works.
2007-01-01 18:33:50 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lye works wonders!!!!! cleared up our problems in our bathroom!! Good luck!!
2007-01-01 18:34:04 · answer #10 · answered by tod 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋