What do I use to unclog sink?

[AchingBack]

I've had two clogged kitchen sink drainage problems. The first one came about not long after we moved into the place we were renting. Stuck down in the P trap was a scouring pad and a fork, neither of which were ours.

The second clog was not so long ago, and to this day I don't know what was causing it about thirty feet downstream. I do know that when I removed the flex pipe leading from the sink to the P trap there were several chopsticks my 3 yr. old grandson put in there while helping with the dishes. The friend who came out to power snake the drain happens to work for a plumbing company. Right or wrong, his company recommends occasional applications of bleach into the drain. I don't see how it can hurt, even on a septic system. It has been my main toilet bowl cleaner for over 35 years. I even went over twenty years before having to pump out my tank. Evidently small amounts aren't able to kill the natural bacteria.

 

[Deere Dude]

What works for me the best is to disconnect the T so you only have one pipe going down. Take a water hose and stuff it in as far as you can. Pull it out about a foot and wrap some wet rags around the hose tightly and stuff that into the pipe and make a seal. Take a couple screw drivers and jam into the rags to make it as tight a seal as you can get. Have someone else turn on the hose as you grip it and try to hold it in. It might want to push out as soon as the pressure builds up.

I worked as a pipe fitter in a big factory and this usually works. I never use chemicals because if they don't go down, what do you do now.

Disclaimer; Keep an eye on other drains in the house or even a roof vent because depending where the plugged up part is, water may back up somewhere else.

 

[kenmac]

well, sounds like you've got it cleared.. You won't need a service call from me

 

[amaxwell]

I've had two clogged kitchen sink drainage problems. The first one came about not long after we moved into the place we were renting. Stuck down in the P trap was a scouring pad and a fork, neither of which were ours.

The second clog was not so long ago, and to this day I don't know what was causing it about thirty feet downstream. I do know that when I removed the flex pipe leading from the sink to the P trap there were several chopsticks my 3 yr. old grandson put in there while helping with the dishes. The friend who came out to power snake the drain happens to work for a plumbing company. Right or wrong, his company recommends occasional applications of bleach into the drain. I don't see how it can hurt, even on a septic system. It has been my main toilet bowl cleaner for over 35 years. I even went over twenty years before having to pump out my tank. Evidently small amounts aren't able to kill the natural bacteria.

Agree that small amounts of bleach won't hurt, but I would be careful of too much. I had the same problem with a kitchen sink last summer. A 25' snake didn't work, so I crawled under the house and located the drain, cut out a section in the middle,and used the snake to clear the clog. Then I installed a Y fitting where I cut the drain, with the Y on top and installed a screw in fitting in it so the 25' snake will reach to the Y and also from the Y to the main pipe next time. I just found lots of thick greasy sludge that had built up over the last 27 years. This was a much cheaper solution than calling a plumber and I can clean it out myself next time.

 

[Fossil Farm]

The 90's further down the waste pipe should have a cleanout or two for access for such a situation. You might want to look into installing one or two before the next plug. The only cleaner I use is baking soda and white vinegar. Sworn off chemical cleaners after talking to a few plumbers and septic guys. A good snake or a length of 14 gauge copper wire with the end hooked over have worked well for hair plugs. One plumber told me about a woman who wanted to get rid of some old Metamucil, and dumped it down the drain. They ended up replacing the entire waste pipe since it expanded and plugged an entire section of pipe.

 

[PILOON]

I have done a fair bit of plumbing jobs and cleared more than the normal amount of problems for clients.
I found that just too many plumbers hacksaw cut joints and leave burrs and jagged joints that can catch debris.
Fine, I use a miter saw for cuts and sand burrs away for a smooth joint.
OK, some precautions, never flush J cloths as they do not decompose and will snag on any burr present.
Use only white TP as color will not decompose. No feminine products, disposable diapers J cloths etc.

I recently clogged from a double sink onto the down pipe leading to the 3" tank feed.
I had the wife hold down a seal over 1/2 the double sink and I plunged like crazy on the other sink drain and it suddenly cleared up.
I do have a European plunger device that works miracles. Looks like a standard rubber cup followed by a piston pump about like a common grease gun.
That baby pumps a huge gulp of air that simply blows debris away.
Unfortunately I think that prevention is the rule to follow with septic systems, that or major air blasts to blow clear.
I also have gone snake routes with so-so results. Chemicals tend to be an iffy solution as many materials simply do not dissolve. (J cloths, feminine products, disposable diapers etsc)
At client installations J clothes were probably the most problematic next to disposable diapers.

 

[Clint S]

If the water will clear I wait until it is gone. I use baking soda and then add vinegar and quickly stop up the drains and hold the stoppers down. The pressure that builds up will usually clear most stuff. I repeat several times and chase with a big pot of boiling water

 

[JPRambo]

I have been using a liquid I get from an RV store. It is a microorganism that will eat soaps and grease. If the water trickles down the drain this stuff should work well. Don't use a lot of water with this just pour the liquid into the standing water and wait an hour. About $40. a gallon but, a cup or two now and a cup each week after will clear the drain and open the pipes.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I take the drain apart to clean them out. I don't use any of those liquids.

 

[Looking4new]

Whenever I (knowingly) have grease around the sink, I always try to mix it up a bit with some dish soap to help break down the grease to some degree.

I never-ever knowingly or intentionally let raw grease go down the drain.

Wife is paranoid about things like that too (I worked on scaring her about things down the sink and toilet when we first built!)

No kids to worry about.

What's amazing is there was no slowing down of the drain. Just BAM, nothing. No glug glug glug.... just bam.

I was told to put some liquid lye down there and I was also told to put some .... not muratic acid.... what's it called......

ahh... I don't remember. Nasty stuff though.

sulphuric acid?

I think the acid you are referring to is hydrochloric acid. It is nasty stuff and when you use it you must not use any other chemical with it on penalty of death. I KID YOU NOT! And keep your nose away from the fumes!