It’s one of the little annoyances in life, a clogged drain in the kitchen. Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is always ready to help, but before you call in the professional plumber, we have a few things you can try yourself when it comes to drain cleaning.
Boiling water
This is the thing to try first because it’s the easiest and cheapest solution. Start a pan of water heating on the stove. If there’s standing water in the sink bail out as much of it as you can. When the water comes to a full boil pour into the clogged drain. Wait several minutes. If nothing happens, wait for the water to cool and remove it from the sink and start the process over. Don’t give up until you’ve tried it several times.
Disposal
It’s possible your garbage disposal is at fault. Run the disposal and see if the clogged drain starts flowing. Make sure the disposal is running. If it overheated you may need to find the reset switch on the unit under the sink.
Add salt
Sometimes the combination of salt and boiling water will be more effective. Pour a half cup of salt down the drain and let it sit for a few minutes. Add the boiling water and see if the clog breaks up.
Vinegar & Baking soda
No, we’re not going to make a rocket-like you did as a kid, but the bubbling reaction of the two might break up the clogged drain. Pour a cup of baking soda into the drain and add an equal amount of vinegar. When the bubbling stops put in the drain stopper and wait 15 minutes. Then flush the drain with hot water. Try it a few times even if it doesn’t work the first time.
Baking soda AND salt
Once again start with a cup of baking soda and a half-cup of salt. This time you’re going to wait several hours after you pour the mixture into the drain. Flush with boiling water and see if it clears the clog.
Plunger
Time to see if the old reliable plunger will work. If it’s a double sink make sure you seal off the other side with a rag, towel, or stopper. Put enough water in the clogged sink to cover the plunger and give it several vigorous plunges.
Causes
The best way to prevent a clogged drain is to be careful about what you put in the drain. Here are a few suggestions:
- Don’t overload your garbage disposal
- No cooking grease
- No cooking oils
- No coffee grounds
- No heavy fat dairy products
Always here to help
Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing admire people who want to solve problems on their own. We just want you to be realistic about it and know when it’s time to call in the professionals like the Kotz plumbers. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
