Drain Cleaning: Removing Pesky Clogs

At some point or another, every homeowner will have to deal with a clogged drain. More often than not, this clog occurs in the kitchen sink. To fix the issue, you'll have to become familiar with one or two methods of drain cleaning. These strategies can run from cheap and quick to somewhat more expensive and complicated. Of course, the best strategy is to avoid these clogs in the first place. You can do this by not putting substances like grease down the sink, which can congeal against the sides of your pipes and cause problems. While calling the plumber is always an option, here are some things you can try in the meantime.

- Manually Remove The Debris

Your first step should be to take the stopper out of the sink and see what you can remove with your hands or some kind of grabber. This is the simplest method of drain cleaning, yet it is often the most effective. Generally speaking, however, this is going to be more successful with bathroom clogs, where the culprit is often hair. It tends to get wrapped around the stopper's length, preventing water from flowing through. Still, you may find that removing some food or debris from your kitchen sink will do the trick.

- Plunge It

We usually think of using a plunger to clear toilet clogs, but it can also be used to clear kitchen sink clogs. Fill the sink with water and put the plunger over the drain hole. If your plunger is too large, you can buy a smaller plunger meant for sink use. Pump the plunger five or ten times and then lift it quickly out of the sink. You'll know right away if it worked or not, as the water will either begin swirling down or it won't. If it doesn't, try again a few times. If that doesn't work, you'll have to move on to more advanced methods of drain cleaning.

- Open It

You've probably noticed that there is a curved piece to your pipe underneath the sink. This is called the "trap" and it can be a great place to retrieve a ring or other valuable object you accidentally dropped down the sink. It can also make a great place for clogs to develop. Put a bucket underneath the pipe and unscrew it with the appropriate tools (some traps have a plug you can release to make it easier to access). Once you've removed the piece, you can use a clothes hanger to free up any debris. Replace the trap and see if that did the trick. If not, you may need to call a plumber and get professional drain cleaning services.