Blocked bathroom sinks happen to all of us. I know that, even after I cut my hair, I was surprised at how often my sink would still get blocked by simple things like facewash, toothpaste, and beauty masks mixing with my hair leading to a blocked bathroom sink drain.
There are remedies out there to clear blocked bathroom sinks but those don’t always work. While blocked bathroom sink remedies sometimes work when the blockage is due to something described above – hair and makeup going down the drain – other times it can be a much more serious issue.
If your bathroom sink and bath are blocked, that’s the first sign that there’s something major going on with your pipes. If your sink was working fine one day, but then your bathroom sink is completely blocked, that’s another sign of major issues with your pipes that may have nothing to do with how you use them.
Here in the UK especially, old pipes can wreak havoc and cause your bathroom sink cad to block or cause your bathroom sink to keep blocking even after multiple fixes. Again, these are times when quick fixes won’t work and a professional should be called in.
With all of that said and warnings in place of when to call in a professional plumber, here are five tips on how to clear a blocked bathroom sink:
1. Use some elbow grease and take a plunger to your clogged sink drain. It’s not sexy, but it’s an old school and useful way of unclogging pipes that have a minor blockage in them. Sometimes it takes a little effort to get the right purchase and to get suction going in order to move the blockage, so be prepared to really get your hands in there and get dirty if you’re using this method.
2. If you suspect there’s hair clogging your sink, then some simple household staples can be used to try and clear your sink. First run some hot water over the clogged drain (if your sink isn’t completely backed up), then dump a cup of baking soda into the drain. Once that’s gone down the drain, slowly pour 1-3 cups of white vinegar down the drain and give it a few minutes to dissolve. After that, pour a large bowl of very hot water (be careful!) down the drain and it should be good to go.
3. Buy a drain snake from your local hardware store and run it down the clogged pipe. If you have older pipes, this one can be dangerous. Be sure to get a small drain snack, as larger ones can also burst through pipes if used incorrectly. This method also means you’ll be pulling whatever the clog is up and out of the drain, so be prepared to see some pretty gross lumps come out of your drain.
4. Go to the store and buy a chemical solution to unblock your clogged bathroom sink. There are a range of these items out there, like Mr. Muscle. But again, if you have older sinks, this might not be the best solution.
5. Finally, and this is a preventative tip, once your sink is unclogged, whether you did so yourself or by calling a plumber out for service, buy a hair trap for your sink. Yes, it’s not sexy seeing all the hair and makeup get stuck in your sink and having to clean it out, but it’s much better than having to unclog your sink drains all the time.
If any of these remedies to fix a blocked sink, or double sink, don’t work, remember that there’s always services out there to help you. Don’t hesitate to call for help from an expert plumber or a skilled handyman because there are times when a clogged bathroom sink is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to plumbing issues and problem pipes within your home.
