How to clear clogged sinks: Simple solutions for home fixes

There's nothing worse than a clogged sink. It starts innocently with a gentle gurgling in the pipes, then the water drains more and more slowly, and an unpleasant smell emerges from the drain. In such a situation, we often panic and call a plumber, who may charge us a hefty fee for their services. Fortunately, there are several methods for quickly and professionally solving this problem without needing professional help.

This unpleasant surprise can happen in both the kitchen and bathroom sinks. The problem can be solved in various ways—from purchasing chemical agents in a drugstore to home remedies for a clogged drain to mechanically unclogging the pipes. It’s worth trying the cheapest methods first.

Pour a generous amount of baking soda (about 250 millilitres) into the drain and add the same amount of vinegar. The mixture should be poured into the drain immediately, as the baking soda and vinegar undergo a chemical reaction, creating a large amount of foam. It is this foam that is supposed to unclog the pipe. Cover the overflow with a cloth or a stopper and wait about 15 minutes. After this time, pour about 1 litre of boiling water into the trap and check if the method brought the expected result.

Citric acid can be an alternative to baking soda and vinegar. Simply pour two small packets of citric acid into the drain and add 500 millilitres of hot water. Citric acid should dissolve the accumulated grease and mineral deposits, which may be the main cause of the clogged pipe. A package of citric acid (20 grams) costs no more than $1.

You can also unclog pipes with the help of dishwasher tablets. Simply fill a cup with hot water and add one tablet to it. The resulting mixture should be poured into the sink, and you should wait 10 minutes. After this time, rinse the drain with a large amount of hot water. The "tablet" for the dishwasher is a real destroyer of greasy deposits. It quickly gets rid of the persistent blockage and leaves a fresh scent.