Some “Do not” Tips on Clogged Kitchen Sink

The colander broke while you were trying to make your favorite pasta and now the kitchen sink is all backed up. Luckily you have your trusty drain snake at hand. So you proceed to jam it in, twist it like your life depended on it and anticipate a swath of noodle gunk coming out at your magical plumbing skills. While the minutes drag on you ask yourself why the drain doesn’t behave. Finally, you slam own the drain snake and throw in the towel. The clogged sink has bested you.

So what did you do wrong? If you are like most Dads who prefer the DIY approach to unclogging kitchen sinks chances are that you ended up with a plumbing bill that you didn’t need if you know how to go on about it the easy way. Let’s see what you should NOT do to make your kitchen sink gunk free and what you should do instead –

How not to Use a Drain Snake

When it comes to unclogging relentless sinks the drain snake is your friend. However the contraption will be utterly useless if you do not know how to use it. Do not just plunge it in the kitchen drain and jab for dear life. This will only push the clogged clump further down the pipe thereby adding to the problem.

Do this Instead

There is a science to using a drain snake. In other words, use it like the instruction manual says. Also known as a snake auger a drain snake is designed to work opposite the way a plunger does. Push it in the clog and crank it (bet you didn’t do that the first time).

Once you start cranking the snake will drill into the clog. The clog will break up and you can pull what remains out. If you have to deal with obstructions that are particularly worrisome you can always settle for drain snakes that can be fixed onto electric drills. The drill will do your cranking for you and make the auger capable of twisting out larger or hard clogs.

Do not Use Industrial Drain Cleaners

Using an industrial cleaner might be tempting especially if all of your previous efforts have failed. Using it might unclog the sink faster. However, don’t be surprised if you aren’t left with a pipe to unclog afterwards. The acids in industrial cleaners will end up disintegrating the clog as well as part of the pipe on its way down. Let’s leave the heavy stuff for industrial pipes shall we.

Do this Instead

A mild drain cleaner that is specifically designed for household purposes will do the trick just as well. A cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar will also rid you of nastier clogs. Wait a few minutes before flushing hot water down the drain. This has come in handy for homeowners who prefer less caustic ways of unclogging their drains.

Do not take the Sink apart

Last but not least, never make the mistake of taking apart the kitchen sink just to get at a small clog. The remedies mentioned above will serve you better.
If all else fails and you have no choice but to take it apart make sure that you hire the services of a plumber instead of doing it yourself. Who knows? The plumber might be successful in unclogging the sink without having to take it apart. If he does take it apart he will also do less damage than you might have.

So there you have it. Remember, it is not worth making such an elementary problem like a clogged kitchen sink worse.