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Does Anybody Know How To Unblock A Sink?
| January 18, 2010 | Posted by HTBP under How to Unblock |
my sink at uni is blocked! lol its one of those really small ones aswell and kinda dodgy. i dont have a clue what it could be but it only recently got so bad it takes over half an hour to drain completely. it may even be hair stuk down there has anybody got any ideas about what i could do before being forced to ask someone for help. thanks x
There is only one remedy -
There is a white U bend OR bottle shaped trap as the first thing after the sink bowl on the waste pipe system. these are normally in plastic but can be made from stainless steel or even copper.
you need to take it off the basin entirely, and empty the contents. then examine the pipe and pull free any debris that you can see from the in the pipe.
Replace the trap and tighten back into position.
If this fails to fix the problem invest in a decent plunger and fill the basin with water (about 1/3) and plunge the sink.
The so called sink unblockers can and often do make matters worse. think about it why do plumbers unblock things instead of using these "Miracle" liquids?
1 - Go to Tesco's
2 - Buy some sink unblocker
3 - Pour it down the sink
4 - Spend the next year moaning about why penniless students should have to stump up for sink cleaner, and anyway come to think of it, why should I have to clean the sink anyway, doesnt some commoner get paid to do things like that, Im sure Mummy and Daddy's sink just used to get unblocked by a lithuanian child when they were out, in fact come to think of it its probably a conspiricy dreamed up by Tescos and the government to stop us excersizing our rights to take a dump in the sink........etc etc
Pouring drain cleaner down there may or may not work. But anything that we pour down the drain, eventually will make it back into our drinking water supply. My experience with drain openers products is that they slightly improve the condition for about one week and then it stops up again.
Here's a much better long term solution:
Look under the sink and you will see a curved pipe that is called a p-trap. These p-traps are put under sinks for a very good reason. They catch debris and they are fairly easy to access. Get a pipe wrench and loosen the two joints that the p-trap is attached too. Take that little curved pipe outside and use the water hose and a stick to clean it out. You will probably see large clumps of hair and other debris.
Then go back inside and re-attach the pipes. Use that white tape around the thread of the joint to prevent leaks and get a really tight seal.
This method is much better than pouring commercial drain openers down the drain. You will be thrilled with the result and you won't have to worry about this problem again for a long time.
It's not that hard to do. I've done it before, with no help at all, several times and I am definitely NOT a plumber.
Use a liquid drain opener, let it sit for 10 minutes or whatever directions recommend. Then take a toilet plunger to the drain, same way you would to plunge the toilet. Should help move along any larger clogs. This worked for me when had a bunch of eggshells stuck in kitchen sink. Thought the disposal would break them up enough, but no.
The best thing would be a rubber plunger made for that purpose.
if u don't have one, take an old towel and scrunch it up,
With a little water in the sink plunge the hole till it clears.
You can also buy caustic soda to pour down the sink, but be careful with it it is dangerous.
under the sink her is a waste pipe that can be taken off and cleaned its the white connection just remember the way you take in off and put it back on in rev should com off with hands no tools required good look or failing that get a plunger but cover overflow at top before plunging to stop air getting out ...
get a half of gallon of clorox and pour down the drain that's clog it
shood work .Try to but a stainer so it wont happen again.
Get some "One Shot"http://www.oaklandcs.co.uk/index.php?act…
READ the instructions!!!!!!!
Then go to B&Q for a filter to stop hair going down.
use a coat hanger or soft bendable wire to try and push the block out...very hot water and dawn detergent work sometimes too...a plunger works miracles as well..you could try flushing it out with bleach too.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=d…
A plunger uses water pressure to blast out obstructions and suction to bring stuff up.
Drano formula
Get a drain opener like Liquid Plummer
Get some Mr Muscle sink and drain unblocker. It works a charm!
Try Liquid Pummer
What's happen if I have cleaned out the U-Bend pipes and it is still blocked? I strongly believe the issue is beneath the house, however, our house's foundation is made by bricks and there is no way in. Any suggestions?
Thanks