Difficulty level: Easy.

For minor bathroom sink blockages, a plunger will often do the trick. Here’s how to use a plunger to unclog a sink:

1. Carefully remove the stopper from the sink. You can take out most stoppers by pulling them up and twisting them to the left. If this doesn’t work, you may have to unscrew the pivot rod underneath the sink by hand or with a wrench.

2. Fill the sink with enough water to cover the base of the plunger. Place the plunger over the drain, creating a tight seal.

3. Push the plunger up and down for about 15 seconds. If necessary, cover the overflow outlet with your hand or a rag to help with suction.

4. Remove the plunger and test the drain to see if the water flows away quickly. If it does - you’ve cleared that clog!
5. Re-fit the stopper and pivot rod if you removed it and inspect the sink for any leaks.

Tip: Don’t use the plunger too forcefully. Excessive pressure may damage the drain line connection and result in a broken trap and leakage. So, if moderate force hasn’t shifted the clog, you should try another method.

Difficulty level: Easy.

Of all the home remedies to unclog a bathroom sink, baking soda solutions are among the most popular. Baking soda is highly reactive when combined with vinegar or salt and water, so using these solutions can help fizz your clogs away!

Unclogging a sink with baking soda and vinegar:

1. Let your sink drain completely beforehand. This may take time if you have a slow draining sink.
2. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar in a jug or container. The mixture will start to fizz, so pour this solution down the drain immediately.
3. Use a sink stopper or cloth to block the drain. Let the mixture work for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Rinse the baking soda and vinegar solution from the drain using warm water.
5. Check the drain and repeat the process, if required.

Using baking soda and salt to unclog a sink:

The process of using baking soda and salt is similar to the above method. The main difference is that you use ½ cup of baking powder and ½ cup of salt and you leave the mixture in the drainpipe for a shorter period of 15 minutes before adding hot water.

When the water is added to the dry mixture, all three components produce a chemical reaction to fizz through clogs.

Difficulty level: Easy.

Has your clogged bathroom sink left you in hot water? Don’t panic - you can actually use hot water to combat the clog, and it works especially well for soap scum blockages.

Here’s how to properly unclog a bathroom sink drain with hot water:

1. Let the sink completely drain.
2. Fill a full kettle or a large pot with water and heat. Don’t boil – boiling water can damage PVC pipes.
3. Slowly pour the water into the drain, observing whether the sink fills or if the clog has resolved.

4. If the drain has been unblocked immediately, pour the rest of the water down the sink. If the water is slow to drain, pour hot water in the drain in stages, leaving time in between for the water level to subside.
5. Hopefully, the clog will have cleared or you’ll have noticed improvement. You can try the method again if the water has helped but, if not, it may be time to try something else.

Tip: The hot water method is most effective when you have a slow draining sink without standing water.

Difficulty level: Advanced.

If you’ve tried a plunger and home remedies to unclog your bathroom sink and they haven’t worked - it’s time to move onto other tools!

Using a drain snake like the Drano^® Snake Plus Tool + Gel System is one of the best ways to unblock a bathroom sink, but it takes a little practice to perfect. Here’s how to use a snake to unclog a sink:

1. Remove the stopper from the sink by trying the pull-and-rotate technique or by unscrewing the pivot rod.
2. Next, insert the tip of the snake down the drain and twist the hand crank to release the wire cable, feeding more of the snake into the pipe until you make contact with the clog.

3. Gently rotate the snake to break up the blockage. Don’t try and jab at the clog with the snake, as this may damage the pipes or trap connectors. If you can’t reach the clog properly this way, move onto step 4.
4. Stubborn clogs that are deeper in the drain require another approach. This involves removing the P-trap, which is a curved two-piece pipe located under the sink. Once you’ve found the P-trap, place a bucket underneath it.

5. Using a screwdriver or a wrench (depending on your sink’s fixtures), loosen the P-trap until you can slowly and safely remove the pipe. Water may come out when you release it, but that’s what the bucket is for!
6. Inspect the P-trap to see if the clog is inside. If it is, you can use a simple tool such as an old toothbrush to scrape out the debris, but if the clog is further in, you will need to use the snake (step 6).

7. Insert the snake into the pipe until you make contact with the blockage. Twist the snake carefully to clear the clog from your drain. There will be no resistance in the pipe once the debris is cleared.
8. Re-attach the P-trap and run hot water down the drain to test the function of the sink.
9. Check that the parts have been reattached correctly, inspecting thoroughly for leaks or corrosion.

If you don’t have a drain snake , you can also use a wire coat hanger to get into those hard to reach places.

Using a wire hanger to unclog a sink drain:

Difficulty level: Moderate.

1. Follow step 1 of the snake method.
2. Shape your wire hanger into a hook shape.
3. Lower the hanger into the drain until you make contact with blockage, then gently twist and move the hanger around to dislodge it, pulling the debris out as you go.

4. Be persistent and try to remove as much of the gunk as you can.
5. Follow steps 4-5 of the snake method, if necessary.
6. Re-install any parts you removed and test the sink’s function.

Difficulty level: Moderate.

Sometimes, you need a more powerful tool to completely clear a badly clogged bathroom sink. This is where a wet-dry vacuum comes in. If you have one around the house, it’s a great way to banish that blockage. Here’s how to use it on your bathroom sink:

1. Place a bucket underneath your P-trap, then remove the P-trap with a wrench or screwdriver depending on the model type.
2. Attach the vacuum hose to the stopper pipe (the first vertical drainpipe that connects to the basin). Create an airtight seal around the plug hole - you can use a plunger attachment, a rag, or other object.

3. Set your wet-dry vac to the ‘liquid’ or ‘wet’ mode.
4. Using the most powerful suction setting, turn on the vacuum and let it run. Sometimes, you may need to pulse the power on and off a couple of times to get the clog moving.
5. Once the clog has been removed, replace the P-trap and check the function of the sink.

Difficulty level: Easy.

To remove stubborn sink clogs and to prevent clogs from forming in the future, you can use Drano^® products to clear and protect your bathroom sink. Before using any Drano^® product, read all package instructions and safety warnings.

When used as directed, our Drano^® Max Gel Clog Remover can be used on even the most backed-up sinks, including those with standing water. It begins working within minutes, dissolving hair, soap scum, and gunk to get your drain flowing smoothly!

How to unclog a bathroom sink with standing water:

1. Carefully pour 16 oz of Drano^® Max Gel Clog Remover into the drain (use 32 oz for stubborn clogs or extremely slow running drains).
2. Wait 15 to 30 minutes for the formula to work.
3. Pour hot water down the drain.
4. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3, if required.

Watch this clip to see how Drano^® Max Gel effectively tackles tough clogs:

You can also use the Drano^® Snake Plus Tool + Gel System for hard-to-reach clogs. Simply use the custom snake tool to loosen the clog and follow it with Drano^® Pro Concentrate Gel to blast the blockage away!

To avoid having to deal with bathroom sink clogs in the first place, we recommend using Drano^® Max Build-Up Remover. This product contains natural enzymes and bacteria that help stop clogs from forming in the drains. Using Drano’s Max Build-Up Remover on a monthly basis is an effective, drain-safe way to keep those pesky clogs away.

For more bathroom, kitchen, and toilet de-clogging solutions, check out the Clog Basics blog page for more information and browse the full selection of Drano products here.