How do you unclog a bathroom sink without a plumber?

Author: Prof. Verla McKenzie Jr.  |  Last update: Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Unclog a Sink With Vinegar and Baking Soda
  1. Make sure your sink is completely drained.
  2. Pour 1/4 cup of baking soda into your drain. ...
  3. Pour 1 1/4 cup of white vinegar into the drain.
  4. Use a sink stopper to plug the drain. ...
  5. Let this mixture work in the drain for about 20 minutes.
  6. Pour hot water down the drain slowly.

What is the best thing to unclog a bathroom sink drain?

Try using vinegar & baking soda

Pour ~½ cup of baking soda into the drain. Pour enough vinegar on top of the baking soda that you can see it start bubbling up around the sides of the drain. Let this sit for a few minutes – if possible, leave it overnight to ensure maximum effect!

What are the best ways to unblock a bathroom sink?

Use a Plunger: - Place a plunger over the sink drain and ensure it covers the opening completely. - Push down and pull up sharply several times to create suction. This may help dislodge the clog. Try Baking Soda and Vinegar: - Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar.

Why should you never use baking soda and vinegar to unclog a drain?

Baking soda is abrasive, which, when used in large quantities, will cause the drain more damage. Additionally, the acidic nature of vinegar can eat away rubber and metal, damaging the plumbing. As these products break down the pipe and connectors in the plumbing in your home, it will cause more clogs over time.

What is the best homemade drain cleaner?

Baking Soda + Vinegar
  • Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar down drain.
  • Plug drain and let sit for one hour.
  • Then, pour a pot of boiling water down drain. Repeat if necessary.

How To Unclog/Clean Your Bathroom Sink Drain or Any Drain! QUICK AND EASY! (Baking Soda and Vinegar)

What do you do if your drain won't unclog?

Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Place a rubber stopper or other sink hole cover over the drain opening. Wait 15 minutes to allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain, Then take out the drain cover and run hot tap water down the drain to clear the clog.

What is the strongest thing to unclog a sink?

The Santeen Sulfuric Acid Drain Opener proved to be the most potent among all the chemical drain cleaners we tested, effectively dissolving 80% of the hair, 80% of the organic matter, 40% of the grease and 76% of the paper products.

Why is my bathroom sink not draining quickly?

If your bathroom sink isn't draining, it may be due to a buildup of hair, soap, toothpaste or other debris. Bathroom sinks tend to undergo heavy daily use, so dealing with a buildup or a clogged sink could be likely. A buildup of debris is also a common cause of bathtub drain clogs.

How to unblock a sink full of water without a plunger?

Bicarbonate of soda (or baking powder) and white vinegar

All you need to do is pop a couple of teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda down the plughole and chase it with a cup of white vinegar. Leave it for about five minutes and then try flushing the blockage with the hot kettle water.

What is the cheapest way to unclog a drain?

Salt and Baking Soda

Salt is a cost-effective alternative that works well for minor clogs. Mixing half a cup of table salt with baking soda and pouring it down the drain before adding boiling water can help break down grease and debris.

What will dissolve hair in a drain?

Heat 2 or 4 liters of water on your stove or in a kettle to just short of boiling. Add about 1/2 cup of salt. Try pouring this down the drain, then wait 15 minutes before seeing if it will clear more easily. If you need a stronger cleaning, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar.

What do plumbers use to unblock drains?

Properties and Uses: Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a highly corrosive acid used extensively by plumbers to clear severe clogs. It reacts rapidly with organic materials in drains, breaking them down into simpler compounds that can be easily flushed away.

How do you unclog a sink quickly?

All you need to do is simply bring a pot of water to a boil, and then slowly pour it down the drain once it has reached a rolling boil. You may have to repeat this a few times to fully clear the drain clog. Boiling water won't hurt your pipes in the bathroom sink, and you can repeat this method as many times as needed.

How to clean bathroom pipe blockage?

When these two ingredients are combined, they create a chemical reaction that can break down and dissolve clogs.
  1. Step 1: Pour baking soda and vinegar into the toilet. ...
  2. Step 2: Leave the mixture for a few minutes. ...
  3. Step 3: Pour hot water. ...
  4. Step 4: Ensure the clog is removed. ...
  5. Step 5: Flush the toilet. ...
  6. Step 1: Prepare hot water.

What is the best thing to put down a clogged drain?

#1: Use baking soda and vinegar

Let it sit for an hour or more (or overnight if you suspect the blockage is really bad) and then flush with hot water. In theory, the blockage should be gone but repeat the process if you experience further problems.

What is the best liquid to unclog drains?

The best liquid drain cleaner to clear a kitchen sink clog is Hercules Glug® Kitchen Liquid Drain Opener because it is specially formulated to dissolve clogs that contain grease and food particles.

How do you unclog a bathroom sink that won't drain?

Unclog a Sink With Vinegar and Baking Soda
  1. Make sure your sink is completely drained.
  2. Pour 1/4 cup of baking soda into your drain. ...
  3. Pour 1 1/4 cup of white vinegar into the drain.
  4. Use a sink stopper to plug the drain. ...
  5. Let this mixture work in the drain for about 20 minutes.
  6. Pour hot water down the drain slowly.

Can I pour boiling water down the drain?

Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.

Can hydrogen peroxide unclog a sink?

Yes, hydrogen peroxide is safe to use for unclogging a drain. It will dissolve and loosen natural matter—like skin cells—stuck in the pipes. Hydrogen peroxide also reduces germs and disinfects the drain, helping it smell fresher and clean.

How do you unclog a severely clogged drain?

Pour one-half cup table salt down the drain, followed by boiling water. Or try a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar—let it bubble, wait 15 minutes, then pour boiling water down the drain. You can also try a cup of baking soda and a half-cup of salt; let it sit for several hours, then flush with boiling water.

Does green gobbler drain cleaner really work?

Customers say that Green Gobbler is an effective and eco-friendly solution for clearing slow drains and clogs, particularly those caused by hair and soap scum.

How do you unclog a drain ASAP?

Boiling water is great for clearing grease, soap residue, and food particles. To do this, clear any excess water from the sink. Then boil a large pot or kettle of water and pour it slowly into the drain. Let the hot water sit in the sink or tub for a few minutes before running any cold water through.

Is baking soda and vinegar better than Drano?

It's definitely not strong enough to tackle serious food particles and microbial growth in a kitchen drain, though. While you can have better luck with a combination of baking soda and vinegar, it's best to use Dran-O, available at Target, or another chemical drain cleaner if your drain is clogged.

How do you unblock a badly blocked sink?

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Make sure you clear any standing water in the sink first, then pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow this with a cup of vinegar, and immediately put the rubber stopper in the drain. The mixture will fizz, and push the clog down. Follow with hot water from the tap to finish flushing.

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