Everything But The Weed

Approved by:
Linda Maze, a Wedding photography Gainesville FL in Gainesville Florida

If you have a clogged sink there are a few ways to naturally remove it . It is highly likely that you will have these ingredients in your home so a trip to the store will not be necessary. These are toxic free and “green” solutions to a clogged sink.

PLUNGING

The most obvious thing to do first is to use a plunger. To plunge a double-basin kitchen sink block up one side. If it is a bathroom sink make sure to plug up the over-flow. To do this just stick a wet rag into the over-flow. Push the plunger in an even up and down motion. If you have difficulty getting a good seal between the plunger cup and sink base, apply some petroleum jelly around the cup.

DISH SOAP

Using dish soap is another method of unclogging a sink. This works on slow drains that have emptied and not a drain that had already caused water to accumulate in the water basin. Take the bottle of dish soap and squirt it down the clogged drain. You will then pour hot boiling water down the drain with a tea kettle or sauce-pot. The combination of soap and hot water should work good if it is a greasy clog.

BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR

Vinegar and baking soda is another natural way to remove a sink clog. The first step is to pour one-fourth of baking soda down the sink drain. Then pour in one cup of vinegar. Cover the drain with a lid or something similar and wait approximately 15 minutes. The clog will be broken down by a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.   Rinse the drain after 15 minutes with hot boiling water to clear it out. Repeat all of this if necessary.

SALT, VINEGAR, BAKING SODA

Although these remedies are similar to the ones above, there are some differences in the ingredients and amounts.

Recipe #1 :  You will need one-half cup baking soda, one-half cup salt, and one-half cup vinegar. Pour the ingredients down the drain, followed by a couple quarts of boiling water.

Recipe #2: You will need one-half cup vinegar and three-quarter cup baking soda. You will put the baking soda down the drain first and then pour in the vinegar. Have a rag or lid nearby to totally cover the drain immediately. You want nothing to escape. Wait one-half hour and flush the drain with water.

Recipe #3: You will need one-half cup baking soda, one cup vinegar, and a couple tablespoons of salt. Put them all down the drain and cover immediately. Wait one-half hour and flush the drain with water.

BAKING SODA AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

In this recipe you may use hydrogen peroxide in the place of the vinegar in the previous recipes.   Use equal amounts of the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Just pour down the drain and cover immediately. Wait one-half hour and then flush the drain with water. Always use hot water.

If plunging does not remove the clog nor does one of the recipes above, then you will have to snake out the drain. The snake will push or pull out whatever is clogging the drain. The first step to snaking will be to disconnect the p-trap from underneath the sink. Before doing this place a small bucket or pan under the trap to catch the water that will be in it. Once the p-trap is disconnected take a close look to see if you can find the debris that is clogging your sink. If you do not see anything than the clog is farther down the line and you will have to use the snake to retrieve it.

As you can see, there is no reason to have to buy harmful chemicals to unclog your sink. Not only will they erode your pipes but  they are bad for the environment. In most cases one of these recipes will do the job. If after doing your due diligence you find that your clog still remains, it is probably best to call in an expert plumber to help you out.

If you need a new sink consider Kohler sinks, Kohler kitchen sink, or a Kohler apron sink.