any tips on unblocking a sink?

Answer 1

a plunger?

Answer 2

Is the sink now standing full of water? If not and pour a quart of boiling water down the drain. Go down below and with the back of you hand feel the trap. Is it hot? how about below the trap. If the top part of the trap is hot, pour more boiling water down the drain. If the top of the trap is hot you have found out that the stopage is below the trap.

If that is so, your options are many. Take off the trap and head down. The hardware store sell a rubber deal that will slide in side the pipe, it has a garden hose connection on one end. attach a hose, hold it in the pipe and turn on the hot water. That is the side you have hooke the hose too if not too much trouble. Go slow turning the water on, you will need help. When the pressure in the rubber bladder get so high it will swell up and then start to let the water out of the end that is in the pipe. This will eventually put the equal amount of pressure on the stoppage as you hve water pressure. City water will usually run 60 to 70 lb. Many times this will open up the pipe. If it don`t then a snake is your next best bet, all the acid etc you pour down it may never get to the stoppage. All it may do in eat up your pipe. If you ever get it to start seeping, stay with the hot water. Lots and Lots of hot water is a plummers best friend. A little trick that works well, if you do have to use a snake, and get the pipe open pour a pint or a quart of pine sol down the pipe. It will sure make you snake smell a lot better when you remove it.

Answer 3

Yes. This works every time.

Get yourself a normal bottle of bleach. Pour at least half of it down the sink. It may still overflow but that's ok. Wait for a couple of hours and then boil your kettle. Pour the hot water down the sink and hey presto you problem is solved. If it doesn't work the first time then try again. This is probably the cheapest way of unblocking your sink without having to buy Mr Muscle or other related products.

Answer 4

Take the trap off under the sink and make sure it is clean. If it is, try using a plunger. Block up the overflow, place plunger over wate fitting. Fill sink with about 100mm of water, and plunge up and down till you feell suction. Then see if the water runs away. If it is still blocked, then maybe you have a blockage all the way back to your inspection chamber. Lift cover to check. If that's okay, then all you can do is put caustic soda down sink. Be careful how you use it, it will burn your skin, wear gloves.

Answer 5

if its a double sided sink, like in a kitchen you have to have someone hold a plug over the one side while you use a plunger on the other side, or use drain clog chemicals, or get a snake that you attatch to a drill or an old fashioned snake that has a hand crank on the end, and stick that down the sink till you feel it stop then start cranking.

Answer 6

Pour a cup of baking soda down the sink, use a little water if necessary to get the soda down into the pipe. add a cup of vinegar. Watch the fun chemical reaction. Repeat if necessary. Flush with very hot water. good luck

Answer 7

There is a GREAT tool available at home improvement & discount stores that clears clogged drains INSTANTLY (especially hair clogs) without chemicals. It costs less than $5, and is about two feet long, plastic, and jagged - like the edge of a saw - called "ZIP IT". You put it down the drain, twist, and pull - out comes the plug of hair and goo. Amazing! Be careful, since nasty stuff can come out with it! See link below!

Answer 8

Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda, about half a cupful than add a cupful of white vinegar it will foam up for a while after about half an hour flush with hot tap water. Use plunger if necessary, cover overflow with hand to form an air seal while using plunger for best results.

Answer 9

Mr Muscle sink and plug hole unblocker

Answer 10

Call a local plumbing wholesaler or supplier. Ask if they have the "plumbing crystals" that the plumbers use and ask if you can purchase them in your state. A lot of states won't sell them to an unlicensed person.

I don't know the exact name of them, but follow the directions EXACTLY and don't breathe in the dust when you're pouring them. They're awesome and I swear you'll never have another problem.

Answer 11

I had this problem and plunging i found would only sort out the block temporarily and then the sink would be blocked again.

I bought Caustic Soda from B&Q for £1.99 and it is amazing! My sink has not been blocked since!