How to Unclog a Sink Drain with a Plunger & Drain Snake

The Durham plumbing experts share four easy steps to unclog your kitchen sink with a plunger and a drain snake. If you need additional assistance, our team of professionals is ready to assist you.

Below are the steps to unclogging your kitchen sink:

1. Get the necessary tools
2. Use a plunger to clear sink blockage
3. Clean p-trap
4. Use snake drain

If you need professional plumbing assistance, contact our Durham plumbing experts today at 919-383-7000!

Unclogging a sink with a drain snake can be an easy process if you have the right tools and knowledge. To help you unclog your sink drain, the Durham plumbing professionals at JD Service Now have put together easy steps to help you fix the issue as easy as possible. If you are still having trouble, don’t hesitate to contact our Durham plumbing professionals for assistance.

Step 1: Get the Necessary Tools

If your sink is clogged, you can fix the problem in a few easy steps. The first thing you should do is get the tools you need to perform the job. The primary tools you will need is a drain snake and a plunger. We recommend purchasing a 3/8-inch model that’s 20 feet long. This is a standard size that should work perfectly for the job. You should also have a bucket or plastic bin to place under your sink, along with rubber gloves and a flashlight.

Step 2: Use a Plunger to Clear Sink Blockage

The next step is to plunge the drain with your plunger. First, you should fill your sink with 3 to 4 inches of water to make sure that the plunger seals around the drain. Then you should firmly hold a wet towel over the other drain opening if you have a double sink. Then you can begin plunging up and down forcefully for 15 to 20 seconds. If the water doesn’t go down the drain after, you should continue plunging for several more minutes.

Be sure to keep towels handy, since plunging can be a wet and messy job. It is also important to avoid pouring drain cleaners into the sink during this process. Drain cleaners can cause serious burns if they make contact with your skin. Since it is likely that you will get exposed to water during this process, you shouldn’t use drain cleaners for your safety.

Step 3: Clean P-Trap

Sink clogs are common, especially if you pour coffee grounds or grease down your drain. This can cause serious build up in the trap arm of the pipe under your sink. The first thing you should do is unscrew the slip nut between the P-trap and the trap arm, then the nut at the bottom of the waste tee. The trap arm is the pipe connected to the wall, the waste tee is the pipe connected directly to the bottom of the sink, and the p-trap is the pipe connected in-between both the waste tee and the trap arm.

Once you remove the p-trap, you can clean out any debris. You should also inspect the p-trap for any cracks. If you think it’s worn, you should replace it to prevent problems in the future. During this process, be sure to wear gloves and keep a bucket under the sink.

Step 4: Use a Snake Drain

The first step to using a snake drain is to loosen the setscrew at the tip of the snake and pull out 6 to 10 inches of the cable. Then you can tighten the screw set and spin the drain snake down the drain line. Then you should loosen the setscrew and pull out another 6 to 10 inches of cable and continue to spin it down the drain. Then you should tighten the setscrew and turn the crank clockwise to feed into the drainpipe. This process should dissolve any clogs in your sink.

This process isn’t successful; you might have a bigger problem. Contact our Durham plumbing experts for assistance at 919-383-7000!