It is a well-known problem: in the kitchen or the bathroom, the sink is easily clogged.
The reason ?
The kitchen sink becomes clogged with food or grease residue that sticks in the siphon while washing the dishes.
And for the bathroom, hair, soap or toothpaste ends up clogging or clogging the siphon.
The water does not flow any more or very slowly.
In some regions, hard water accentuates this phenomenon.
So what if your sink is clogged?
Before using chemicals that are harmful to the environment, but also to your health in the event of inhalation, or to call a plumber who may present you with a substantial bill, know that there are several natural methods that have made their proof.
Unclog a sink by cleaning the siphon
If your sink is clogged, it's a safe bet that taking the siphon apart and cleaning it will solve the problem.
It's really easy and it only takes a few minutes:
Start by locating your siphon: for kitchen or bathroom sinks, it is usually hidden behind a piece of furniture or a column.
Take gloves and place a basin or bucket underneath to avoid dirtying your floor when you disassemble the siphon.
Loosen the base by hand, (this is the lower part of the siphon), and remove it.
The impurities will flow into your basin.
Then, loosen and remove the rings that hold the siphon.
You can use water pump pliers if necessary.
Clean all of this equipment with lukewarm water mixed with white vinegar or other cleaning product.
You can then reassemble your clean and cleaned siphon.
Take the opportunity to check if the seals are not worn, if so, replace them.
There you have it, you have just disassembled, cleaned and reassembled your siphon.
It is now necessary to check whether the water is flowing correctly and whether there are no leaks.
To do this, turn on the water and let it run.
If it drains properly, without leaks, well done!
You have completed the work correctly.
Otherwise, in the event of small leaks, retighten the clamping rings of your siphon.
And if the water still does not flow, the problem is surely with the pipe.
You can then use a ferret to clean it.
Unclog your sink with products
There are several ways to unclog a sink.
You can choose to unblock it naturally (we also speak of “grandmother's” methods), with safe and proven products, or use ready-to-use chemicals, but being careful to how to use it.
Natural products
The best known method is undoubtedly baking soda and white vinegar.
To unclog your sink with baking soda, first remove the standing water.
Then, pour a dose of baking soda in the sink and add a cup of white vinegar.
Leave on for about twenty minutes then pour boiling water.
You can also use coarse salt instead of vinegar.
This helps to get rid of grease and residue plugs.
You also have the solution to use coffee grounds, because its particles act as a rather powerful detergent: pour a cup of coffee grounds in your sink and add a few cups of boiling water.
Leave it on for a few minutes and you're done!
Finally, you can use the soda crystals which are really very effective against the plugs.
Alkaline product, they can easily dissolve oils and fats: first, pour a cup of boiling water into the pipe.
Once the water has drained, pour in a cup of soda crystals, followed by another cup of boiling water.
Leave on for 5-10 minutes.
Then pour a kettle of hot water to check if the water is flowing properly.
Do not hesitate to repeat the operation if necessary.
Chemical products
You will find in specialized or DIY stores, many products to unclog your pipes.
They are very effective and take effect within minutes
However, they are very corrosive and can damage your pipes and seals.
They are toxic and dangerous to health products to be used with care.
Use gloves and goggles to avoid skin contact if splashed.
And above all, never mix two products to avoid a potentially dangerous chemical reaction!
Use a suction cup for a clogged sink
The suction cup is a convenient and easy to use way to unclog your sink.
Its price is minimal and it can be reused without any problem.
To unclog your sink using a suction cup:
Start by filling the sink with hot water, enough so that the rubber part of the suction cup is covered.
Place the suction cup facing the pipe and draw air, making movements up and down.
This movement creates a call for air which allows the residues to rise.
Repeat until the sink is completely unclogged.
Of course, if with all these methods you cannot unclog your sink, then it will be essential to call a professional plumber, because it happens that the pipes need a cleaning of the pipes with water under pressure that only a professional can achieve.