How Do You Fix a Sink Drain?

Before fully replacing your sink drain there are a couple of tips one can do to improve the speed of draining. The most common type of problem associated with a poor sink drain is clogging. However, this is an issue most people can fix on their own. The culprit behind clogging, is generally a slimy mixture of soap scum, hair, sticky styling products, and/or thick shaving foam that has accumulated on the drain walls. While some people might be tempted to reach for commercial liquid drain cleaners from the beginning, note these harsh and corrosive chemicals can irritate your skin, eyes and even harm pipes. Since removing the blockage often won’t take any chemicals at all, it is suggested to attempt steps before rushing to the hardware store.

• Clean the stopper- Because of its position at the top of the drain and the metal “tail” that extends a couple inches into the pipe, the sink stopper tends to catch hair, soap, and other debris. In most modern sinks, the sink stopper can be unscrewed and cleaned out. Older sinks will require the owner to go underneath the sink, right where the basin connects to the pipe, there you will find a small rod with a nut and clip attached to the pipe. Turn the nut to detach it, and lift the stopper out of the drain. Clean it out and reinstall.
• Create a safer drain cleaner- By mixing ½ a cup of baking soda and ½ a cup of vinegar, you can create a drain cleaner that will frizzle up when eliminating drain sludge. After 15 minutes, pour boiling hot water down the sink to clean the drain out.
• Use a drain cleaning tool- Drain cleaning tools look like long metal fishing rods, with some sort of hook to capture hair, debris, and sludge. Simply push the tool down the sink drain, and rotate constantly to capture any object clogging the drain. Continue by pulling the tool in and out of the drain to clean the drain walls. Repeat the process multiple times in order to fully clean the drain.
• Use a plunger- Block the sink’s overflow hole with a small rag. Place the plunger over the sink drain, and fill the basin with enough water to cover the plunger’s cup. Now plunge up and down in short quick movements, to force as much air as possible down into the drain. If the water drains out quickly, it means the clog has been fixed. 

If none of the tips above helped fix the sink drain, contact a local plumber to check out the issue; chances are the block is too far down the pipe where specialized tools may be needed . Additionally, there is a possibility that the entire sink drain has to be replaced due to an issue unrelated to clogging; such as physical damage or rusting.

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