How to unclog your kitchen sink without using chemicals
Once you know how to clear your kitchen sink you'll never reach for chemicals again.
Kitchen sinks bear the brunt of our cooking adventures, with most of us coming up against a clog every once in a while. Kitchen drains are most often clogged with a build-up of grease and food debris, and while it may be tempting to attack it with a bottle of chemical de-clogger, it is better for your pipes and your health to attempt to clear the blockage in a less corrosive manner first.
Ensuring that your kitchen plughole has a sink strainer that fits the plug hole will make sure that no large food deposits make their way down your drain hole. Never pour grease from a pan or a grill into your sink, because you will run the risk of creating a fatberg beneath. It's good practice to run hot water through your sink once a day to clear it, but once every few days is fine too.
Often, boiling water will shift a clog. If you notice that the water in your kitchen sink is flowing slowly, pour two kettles of boiling water into the sink and see if this will get things moving.
There is a skill involved in plunging. A kitchen sink plunger should be shallow with a wide cup. First, block off the sink vent with some masking tape. If your sink pipe shares a waste pipe with your dishwasher, you will need to cover this open pipe too. Position the plunger over the plughole and plunge repeatedly until you can feel both suction and movement.
If plunging does not work, it is onto the next best thing. Baking soda and vinegar are the workhorses of the home, and when it comes to unclogging a sink they can provide that satisfying gurgle in a matter of moments. Try pouring one mug of bicarbonate of soda down your plughole and follow it with one cup of vinegar. Leave to sit for at least half an hour and follow with a kettle of boiling water.
If these methods do not work, you can try to bend a coat hanger through the pipe to loosen the blockage. Be extra careful, especially if you are dealing with old pipes, and do not use excessive force. Map out the direction of the pipe before you begin and gently snake the wire through, never forcing.
The final step on your unclogging journey necessitates two things: rubber gloves and a bucket. Place a bucket underneath the u-bend of your pipe. Using firm pressure, rotate the valves until they loosen and you can unhook the u-bend. Catch flowing water in the bucket below and use your manual snake to clear the blockage. When you are finished, replace the valves firmly. Run water with the bucket still underneath to make sure that they are secure, and carry on as normal.
Congratulations. You have unclogged your sink without chemical interference.
