Dislodge Materials From The Pipe Underneath Your Kitchen Sink's Drain And Keep The Plumbing Maintained
If food particles accidentally went down your kitchen sink's drain and water is sitting in the sink's basin due to the clog, dislodge materials from the sink's plumbing by completing the following steps. Once finished, following some basic maintenance tips will prevent problems from occurring again.
Materials
- hand plunger
- flashlight
- wire hanger
- drain opener
- bucket
- towel
- pliers
- tube brush
- soapy water
- shop vacuum cleaner
Attempt To Unclog The Drain From The Top
Place the rubber end of a hand plunger directly over the sink's drain. Press down firmly on the plunger's handle until the rubber end connects to the bottom of the sink. Pull back. Reattach the rubber tip and pull back on the handle until any water in the sink goes down the drain. Shine a flashlight into the sink's drain to assist with locating any materials that are stuck inside of it. Stick the end of a wire hanger into the drain's holes to dislodge materials.
If this does not work, pour a product that is designed to open drains into the sink. Wait the recommended amount of time for the product to work. Turn on the sink's faucet to determine if the materials were dislodged from the drain if water will still not go down the drain, follow the instructions below.
Clean The Interior Of The Pipe Section That Connects To The Drain
Locate the S-shaped or P-shaped pipe underneath the sink. This pipe section is referred to as an S-pipe or P-pipe and prevents dangerous sewer gases from entering your home, due to its shape. Remove hardware pieces that are holding the pipe section in place with a pair of pliers. Release the pipe section and tilt one end of it downwards into a bucket so that water and debris fall into it.
Use a tube brush and soapy water to clean the interior ends of the piece. If any debris is trapped in the middle of the pipe piece, suction it out with a shop vacuum cleaner's hose. Place one end of the pipe against a sturdy surface while you complete this step. Rinse the pipe section out with plain water once it is clean to remove any soapy residue from its interior.
Reattach The Pipe Section To The Plumbing
Realign the pipe section underneath the sink so that both ends are attached to adjoining pieces. Insert the hardware pieces and tighten them with a pair of pliers. Turn on the sink to make sure that water will go down it the proper way. Keep the sink's drain maintained by using a strainer when washing dishes and being careful not to let pieces of food go down the drain when its opening is uncovered. If water ever begins to drain slowly, use a plunger or a drain opener to resolve the problem before it becomes worse.
For further assistance, contact local professionals, such as those from Two Men And A Snake.