How to unblock a sink - the five natural home remedies
BLOCKED sinks are a common annoyance in homes and businesses and can leave kitchens and bathrooms out of action if left untreated - but thankfully they are some natural home remedies you can try.
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Strong chemicals and thick bleach products might be your first point of call, there are plenty of natural remedies you can use to fix a blocked drain. Unblocking your sink doesn’t have to cost a fortune and in most cases, you can do it yourself to avoid unnecessary call-out costs. Here are five fool-proof ways to rid that unpleasant smell and restore your sink.
How to unblock a sink yourself
The methods below should prevent the drains in your home from developing any nasty residue that can congeal and form an unpleasant smell.
1) Boiling Water
Bathroom expert Dom-Lees-Bell, at Drench.co.uk says unblocking your sink can be resolved using this one natural ingredient.
All you need to do is boil the kettle then pour some boiling hot water down the drain.
Wait for five minutes then pour an equal amount of cold water down.
This should force any remaining grease to congeal and hopefully clear the blockage and the smell.
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2) Using a Plunger
This one may seem obvious but it is an effective quick-fix to get your sink back in action.
Simply place the plunger cup over the basin drain and pump vigorously up and down for at least a minute to remove any small blockages.
Finally, repeat the boiling water flush to remove any remaining congealed build up.
Be sure to have your plunger handy just in case!
3) White Vinegar
Another simple way to clear your sink drain is with a small amount of white vinegar.
Pour a cup of white vinegar down the drain, let it stand for 30 minutes, then rinse with hot water.”
4) Add Baking Soda
Drench.co.uk’s bathroom expert says: “This is a cheap, eco-friendly method worth trying.
If you have some baking soda in the house try adding this to the vinegar trick.
“Baking soda on its own does a decent job of loosening grimy sludge from your drain, and when you add some vinegar as well you get a chemical reaction that should hopefully jolt the blockage loose.”
Repeat the boiling water method then pour half a cup of baking soda down the plug and leave it to sit for a few minutes.
Follow with a cup of white vinegar and a little more hot water. Leave for five to 10 minutes and flush with boiling water.
You can buy baking soda on Amazon here.
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5) Checking the U- Bend
The easiest way to clear an obstructed U-Bend is to remove any blockages from it.
This can be done by carefully removing the u-bend pipe using a wrench and emptying any water.
Use a wire brush and a flush of warm water to sweep any remaining residue away.
While these hacks are a great fix, bathroom expert Dom-Lees-Bell, at Drench.co.uk believes that prevention is better than cure.
He said: “to avoid a blocked sink the rule of thumb is to be careful as to what you put down your drain and take regular action to clear any small deposits that might be forming."
Dom's Top Tip:
“Never pour grease down your drain and to remove grease from pots and pans simply wipe with a paper towel before rinsing.”