How to unblock a kitchen sink without a plunger?

Author: Haven Wiegand  |  Last update: Friday, February 6, 2026

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.

How do you unblock a badly blocked kitchen sink?

Use Baking Soda and Vinegar Pour a cup of baking soda into the clogged sink and wait for about four minutes. Afterwards, pour a cup of vinegar down the same sink. Plug the sink and leave it for 10 minutes to break down the blockage. Afterwards, run hot water to see if the clog is gone.

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

How to Unblock a Sink Without a Plunger
  1. Run some boiling water down the drain. Put the kettle on and boil up some water. ...
  2. Pour a cup of baking soda. Put 1 cup of baking soda directly into the plughole. ...
  3. Add in a cup of vinegar. ...
  4. Wait. ...
  5. Wait and flush with boiling water. ...
  6. Repeat if necessary. ...
  7. Check the drain.

What dissolves a blocked sink?

Vinegar is effective at cutting grease and baking soda causes a reaction with vinegar that bubbles up and helps to remove blockages in the pipe. Pour the baking soda into the drain first, followed by a generous glug of white vinegar. Wait a few minutes until the mixture has stopped fizzing and flush with hot water.

How do you create suction without a plunger?

This step will remind you of your missing plunger. Start by filling the bowl with hot water, then use a toilet brush to create a suction effect by pushing down and pulling up in rapid motions. This should help dislodge any blockages that are causing the clog.

How to unclog a sink the easy way (No Plunger needed)

What can I use as a plunger if I don't have one?

However, a plunger isn't the only way to unclog a drain. If you experience a clogged toilet and don't have a plunger, there are other useful methods, including dish soap and hot water, baking soda and vinegar, Epsom salt, a metal wire hanger, and a plastic bottle.

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

The fizzing reaction and gas created may help loosen some small blockages. However, it is not typically strong enough to break down larger clogs or remove hard-to-reach debris. As a result of the above facts, if you have a serious drain clog, using baking soda and vinegar is unlikely to be effective.

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.

How do you unclog a sink ASAP?

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.

What happens if you put too much baking soda in a drain?

What happens if you put too much baking soda down a drain? Too much baking soda put down a drain can clog it. It can harden and become a solid, cement-like mass.

Will a clogged sink eventually drain?

While it's not the end of the world, it won't cause immediate damage to your home and the water will eventually drain away, a slow drain is still a problem that needs to be fixed. A drain that is slow to empty will mean there is already a clog in the system and, over time, one that will only get worse.

How to make a makeshift plunger?

Steps
  1. Use gloves to remove as much water and debris as possible.
  2. Fill up a large plastic bottle with hot water.
  3. Place your gloved thumb over the bottle's spout.
  4. Insert the bottle directly into your toilet bowl and remove your thumb from the opening.
  5. Use two hands to squeeze the bottle and force water pressure into the clog.

What can I use instead of a plunger for a sink?

5 Natural Ways to Unclog a Bathroom Sink
  • Baking Soda and Vinegar. This is an old method of unclogging drains that has proven to be very effective in bathroom sinks. ...
  • Baking Soda and Salt. Another effective combination is baking soda and salt. ...
  • Boiling Water. ...
  • Wet and Dry Vacuum. ...
  • Wire Hanger.

What is the best thing to unblock sink pipes?

You'll also need to boil a kettle of water to help flush away the blockage.
  • Bicarbonate of soda (or baking powder) and white vinegar. ...
  • Washing powder (biological) ...
  • Alka Seltzers and white vinegar. ...
  • Use a wire or tool to poke/pull out the blockage. ...
  • Use a blast of water. ...
  • Use a natural drain cleaner. ...
  • Bleach and hot water.

How do I unclog a deep clog?

How To Unblock A Clogged Drain Deep In Pipe
  1. Using a Toilet Plunger or Plunger.
  2. Applying Baking Soda and Vinegar.
  3. Employing a Drain Snake or Plumbing Auger.
  4. Hydro Jetting Techniques.

What is the best homemade drain cleaner?

Baking soda and vinegar is a tried-and-tested mixture for unclogging drains. Since you probably have these ingredients lying around, this is also one of the most cost-effective drain cleaners you can make at home. Pour one cup of baking soda down the affected drain, immediately followed by one cup of white vinegar.

What product will unclog a sink?

If your sink doesn't have a garbage disposal, use Drano® Kitchen Granules Clog Remover. It creates heat inside your drain to melt and dislodge greasy clogs.

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.

What do professional plumbers use to unclog drains?

How Professional Plumbers Clean Your Drains
  • Manual Drain Snakes. A manual drain snake, also known as a plumber's snake or a drain auger, is a small boring tool that rotates slowly as it's physically pushed through a stubborn clog. ...
  • Motorized Drain Snakes. ...
  • High-Definition Drain and Sewer Line Cameras. ...
  • Hydro-Jetting Machines.

How do you unblock a severely blocked sink?

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.

How to unclog a kitchen sink with standing water?

First, remove all stagnant water from the sink. Replace it with hot water until it is halfway full, and it generates a seal around your drain. Place the sink plunger over the drain and start pumping up and down swiftly. Remove the plunger, observe if the water flows, and repeat the procedure until water flows freely.

Can boiling water unclog a drain?

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. Boiling water helps break down grease and soap holding the clog together to clear the blockage. This method is easy and only requires one or two steps. Most important is to boil water on a stove using a kettle or saucepan.

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

6 Steps for Opening a Clogged Drain
  1. Clear out standing water. Remove standing water ASAP, since it breeds mold, bacteria, and insects in no time. ...
  2. Remove visible blockages and check garbage disposal. ...
  3. Try boiling water and salt, or vinegar and baking soda. ...
  4. Plunge it out. ...
  5. Clean the P-trap and snake it. ...
  6. Snake the drain.

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.

Previous article
Should you use tape for painting?
Next article
What removes paint better than acetone?