Which drain cleaner works best for a kitchen sink?

Author: Ms. Aleen Gislason DDS  |  Last update: Saturday, September 27, 2025

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.

Which drain cleaner is best for a kitchen sink?

The 4 Best Finds for Unclogging Kitchen Sink Drains
  • 1. Green Gobbler BIO-Flow Drain Strips, $10 for 24
  • 2. Green Gobbler DISSOLVE Liquid Hair & Grease Clog Remover, $15 for 31 ounces
  • 3. Vastar Snake Drain Clog Remover, $6 for three
  • 4. General Pipe Cleaners Spin Thru Drain Auger, $21

What should I use to clean my kitchen sink drain?

His advice is to first pour a quarter-cup of baking soda down the drain, immediately followed by a quarter-cup of vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to an hour, then run hot water to rinse it out. “I would tend to do this once a month in my own home,” he says.

What is the best thing to unclog a kitchen sink with?

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.

What do plumbers recommend for clogged drains?

  • Baking soda and vinegar have long been known to unclog clogged drains effectively.
  • You can clean various objects with household items like vinegar and baking soda.
  • Or you can use hydrochloric acid, sometimes referred to as muriatic acid, which is the acid that plumbers most frequently used

Which Drain Opener is the Best? Let's Find Out!

Does Dawn dish soap clog drains?

Dawn dish soap is a great product for unclogging and cleaning your drains because it contains chemicals that break down grease and oil. It has a unique blend of ingredients that makes it an effective cleaning agent for greasy surfaces.

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 thing to unblock a sink with?

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.

Can I use Drano Max Gel in the kitchen sink?

Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover , Drano® Dual-Force® Foamer Clog Remover, Drano® Max Build-Up Remover, and Drano® Liquid Drain Cleaner may be safely used to unclog a kitchen sink.

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.

How can I freshen my kitchen sink drain?

Baking soda is a natural deodorizer that will help neutralize bad smells. Just pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of hot water. Let the mixture sit for a few hours, then flush with cold water.

Is it OK to put vinegar down sink drain?

Vinegar. Vinegar is both safe and beneficial to pour down your drain. It acts as a natural cleaning solution and can remove blockages and harmful bacteria that cause foul odors.

How do I get rid of sludge in my kitchen sink?

How to Clean a Sink Drain
  1. Pour Mixture Down Drain. Remember the 1:2 ratio: one part baking soda to two parts white vinegar. Pour the baking soda down the drain, then slowly add the white vinegar. ...
  2. Add Boiling Water. Wash away with boiling hot water to rid the drain of any remaining residue.

What is the strongest kitchen sink unblocker?

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.

What works better than Drano?

Some of the best Drano alternatives include using a plunger or pipe snake, soap or salt mixed with boiling water, or baking soda and white vinegar. Also, for maximum effectiveness, you can combine several of these methods together to get rid of the clog.

How do you deep clean a kitchen sink drain?

To clean your sink drain, add 1 cup baking soda directly to the sink and add 1 cup vinegar thereafter. The fizzing sound you hear means that the two ingredients have bound and are working on unclogging the drain. Allow them to react for about 30 minutes and then pour plenty of boiling water down the drain.

What is the best liquid to unclog kitchen sink?

The 100-year-old company Drano is the Q-tip of drain cleaners — the brand most people think of first for tackling clogs. In our tests, we've been consistently impressed by the clearing power of Drano's gel formulation, which is safe for all plumbing and septic systems.

What happens if you leave Drano Max Gel in too long?

When Drano is left in the drain for too long, it can cause corrosion of the pipes. The chemicals in the product are designed to break own the clog, but if left for too long, they can start to break down the pipes themselves.

Can I use green gobbler in my kitchen sink?

But as with your kitchen sink and disposal cleaning, Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver will take care of them safely, effectively and efficiently. Don't forget to use Green Gobbler Bio-Flow Drain Strips as part of your monthly bathroom drain cleaning routine, too!

What do professionals use to unblock drains?

Drain snakes also called drain rooters or augers, use a long cable with a spiral-shaped head.

Can you use Mr. Muscle drain Gel in a kitchen sink?

Mr Muscle® Power Gel Sink & Drain Unblocker cuts through standing water in your clogged drain, dissolving even the toughest clogs. Use this sink unblocker once a week to clear blockages and slow-running drains anywhere in your home, from your kitchen to bathroom sinks.

What chemical do plumbers use to unclog 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.

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.

What can I put down my sink to unblock it?

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

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