Kitchen sink not draining but pipes clear

• Pouring boiling water down the drain can dissolve scum and clear light clogs.
• A baking soda and vinegar reaction can also dislodge trapped debris in your sink.
• More stubborn clogs may need the aid of a plunger or a drain snake to break them up.

There's never a good time to have a clogged sink. It's inconvenient, unsightly, and unsanitary. Depending on the severity of the clog, you might need to bring in a plumber. But before you get to that step, we asked two plumbing experts for advice to help you clear the clog on your own. 

They provided four solutions that are listed in order from the simplest to the most complex techniques.

Method 1: Boiling Water

According to Mike Mushinski, president of bluefrog Plumbing & Drain, boiling water is the easiest way to unclog a sink. However, he warns that this method comes with some risks. "If your pipes are not rated for a minimum of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the boiling water could melt or deform your drain piping, which could cause leaks," he says. This is only a problem if you have PVC or plastic pipes.

1. Boil a pot of water.

2. Slowly pour the water down the drain.

3. Wait a few seconds between pours. Allow the boiling water to melt soap scum and dissolve grime or loosen solids, etc. 

4. Repeat as necessary.

Method 2: Baking soda and vinegar

According to Mushinski, using baking soda and white vinegar can break free light stoppages, but he says it's not meant for large blockages. "If you choose this method, there should be no standing water in the sink, so the baking soda and vinegar can get to your clog faster and more effectively," he says.

1. Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain.

2. Pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain.

3. Pour 1 cup of white vinegar down the drain.

4. Cover with a drain plug and wait five to 10 minutes.

5. Pour boiling water down the drain again.

6. Repeat as necessary.

Method 3: Plunger

Mark Dawson, chief operating officer at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, tells us that plungers aren't just great to use when you want to unclog a toilet, they're also a handy tool to unclog a sink. He provides the following instructions:

1. Unplug the garbage disposal and plug the dishwasher drain (optional). If your dishwasher is connected to your kitchen sink via a garbage disposal, Mushinski warns that you need to block it off or water can be pushed into your dishwasher.

"The dishwasher drain on a garbage disposal can be blocked off by using a conical rubber plug that is ¾ inch wide; you can simply push the rubber plug into the drain hole [on the inner sidewall of the disposal]," he says.  

2. Fill the sink with a few inches of water. This creates suction and allows the plunger to force water against the clog.

3. Steadily plunge up and down. After several plunges, the clog should begin to dissolve and the water should begin to drain. 

4. Flush the drain. Run water down the drain for a few minutes to see if the water flows down freely and the clog has dissolved.

Method 4: Drain snake

If none of the above methods work, Dawson recommends using a plumber's snake, also known as a drain snake. "In fact, you can use any tools you have — like a drain stick or plunger — that can bend their way through pipes without causing any damage; this works best if the clog is small or close to the opening of the drain."

If the clog is deep in the pipe, Dawson says a metal snake with a crank is probably your best bet and provides the following steps:

1. Insert the snake. Start by pushing the end of the snake into the opening of the drain and turn the handle on the drum of the coiled-up snake to send it further into the pipe. Once you feel resistance, you've hit the clog. 

2. Dislodge the clog. Continue twisting the snake against the blockage until you can feel the clog freed up. As you rotate the snake, it will grab onto the blockage so you can pull it our or break it free so it can flow through the pipes.

3. Flush the drain. Run water down the drain for several minutes to make sure the clog is gone. 

What about removing and cleaning the P-trap?

Neither Mushinski nor Dawson recommends this method for the amateur DIY-er. "While it's not necessarily dangerous to remove and clean the P-trap assembly, and most people can handle it, it can result in mistakes and potentially greater damage," Mushinski says.

If you don't reinstall the P-trap correctly, you could end up with water and sewer gas leaks. If your sink is clogged so badly that snaking the drain doesn't solve the problem, it's time to consider calling in the pros.

Should I use a chemical drain cleaner?

Chemical drain cleaners are popular and often tend to work, but may not be the best solution in the long run. "While homeowners may rely on store-bought products to unclog a sink or drain in their homes, professionals recommend avoiding chemical drain cleaning products, as over time they can corrode pipes and cause a bigger hassle than anticipated," says Dawson. 

Tips for preventing future clogs

• Don't use your drain as a trash can. Large bones, coffee grounds, and fibrous vegetables shouldn't go in your sink or your garbage disposal. 
• Don't pour grease or oil down your drain. It can harden as it cools, causing clogs. 
• When leaning over your bathroom sink, be careful not to let hair, Q-tips, dental floss, or other items fall into the sink.
• Don't dispose of paint in the sink.
• Invest in a sink strainer to catch wayward objects like hair, food, etc. 
• Run hot water down the drain on a regular basis to flush out debris. 
• Use the vinegar and baking soda method once a month as a preventative measure. It will remove debris before it becomes a large blockage.

Insider's takeaway

If you have a sink clog, start by pouring a pot of boiling water down the drain. If this doesn't work, try a combination of baking soda and vinegar. The next method is to use a plunger. If the clog still won't move, try a plumbing snake or clean the P-trap. If at any point you feel unconfident about moving on to the next method, there's no shame in calling a plumber to take care of the issue.

When she's not writing about business trends for The Economist, or legal trends for the American Bar Association Journal, Terri spends her time covering trends in buying and selling homes, mortgages, home improvement, and home products. She has bylines at Realtor.com, Bob Vila, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, Real Simple, Real Homes, Yahoo, The Daily Beast, Investopedia — and several other companies that you've probably heard of. 

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