How to Unblock a Sink
Blocked sinks are the bane of any household. They are a common occurrence and happen when too much debris such as food waste or oil has been poured down the sink. The drain is designed mainly to just take water.
When your sink is blocked, your kitchen may start to smell unpleasant and, of course, you are unable to drain away any more water, rendering the sink unusable.
This article will go through the steps to take to unblock your sink in a way that is as pain-free as possible!
First Things First
You may be able to unblock the sink without having to go under it! Try using vinegar, as the acid may be able to break down any thick substances blocking the drain. Also drain-blocking products such as Mr. Muscle, where you squirt it down the drain and then leave it for a few hours, can often solve the problem.
Plunger
If this does not work, you will need to use a plunger (available from all DIY stores). Put it over the plughole, push it down so it traps the air inside, and pump it up and down a few times before releasing it from the plughole. You can also use the palm of your hand in the same way.
By pushing the air up and down this can remove the blockage and allow the water to drain.
The U Bend
If that hasn’t solved the problem, you need to remove the U Bend. This is the part of the piping under the sink that goes down and then up, so if unsuitable material or objects are down there, gravity is preventing them from flowing out of the piping.
To remove the U Bend, you will need the following items:
- Screwdriver
- Towel
- Waterproof tape
- Bucket
- Plunger
The U Bend has two sets of threads – one right underneath the sink and one further down the piping where the U Bend finishes. Unscrew the first set of threads under the sink and pull it free slowly and gently.
Put the bucket and towel under to catch any water or debris. Then remove the second set of threads. This will let you remove the ‘U’ part. This is where the blockage is most likely to be and you can clear it out with the screwdriver.
Once you feel that the blockage has been removed, you can put it all back together, screwing the piping and the thread securely but not too tightly or there can be cracking.
Put some of the waterproof tape around the edges to prevent any leakages that might occur.
Still Not Feeling Too Confident?
Call in a professional plumber who will be happy to unblock your sink. You can find excellent plumbing services in Huddersfield by looking on yell.co.uk, or mybuilder.co.uk which both have trusted review systems.
In Future…
Prevent this from happening again by scraping any leftover food off plates into the bin or food recycling. Drain any excess oil into an old mug where the oil can later solidify and be disposed of.
