Know What to Do When Your Home’s Kitchen Sink Is Clogged

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How to Fix a Clogged Kitchen Sink

There are few things worse as a homeowner than when the kitchen sink is clogged. It impacts nearly every aspect of life, like cooking dinner and even personal hygiene. Clogs in the kitchen are usually food-related, like grease, coffee grounds, eggshells, potatoes, etc. The good news is that there are a few tips shared by professional plumbers that homeowners can try today to help unclog the kitchen sink.

Mix up a Plumbing Cure

If the kitchen sink is clogged, the solution may be right under the homeowner’s nose! Some clogs can be cured by just simply combining baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (diluted acetic acid).
On a chemical level, baking soda is considered a base, and white vinegar is considered an acid. When they first mix together, hydrogen ions from the vinegar both the sodium and the bicarbonate ions from the baking soda to form sodium acetate and carbonic acid.

After, as the carbonic acid starts to decompose into carbon dioxide and water, foam and bubbles rise to the top of the container. To use this chemical reaction when the kitchen sink is clogged, start by pouring a large pot of boiling water down the kitchen sink.

Follow that up with one cup of baking soda mixed with one cup of white vinegar and one cup of water (pre-mixed). Place the drain plug in the sink and wait at least 5 minutes. Finish it up by pouring another pot of boiling water down the sink. The chemical reaction from the carbonic acid followed by the added pressure of the boiling water can help release and flush things when the kitchen sink is clogged.

Sometimes Just Boiling Water Helps

If the kitchen sink is clogged but no one in the home is up for a science project, some clogs can be flushed with boiling water only. Just a half-gallon of boiling water poured directly down the sink in question can not only push the clog through with pressure alone, but it can also potentially melt any solid matter that may be causing the obstruction.

This is generally a more useful tip for a slow sink or a partial clog instead of when the kitchen sink is clogged fully. A completely clogged sink usually will need a more extreme tactic.

If These Tips Can’t Cut It, Call a Plumber

If a homeowner has tried both of the above tips and the kitchen sink is clogged still, it’s likely time to contact a plumber. Sometimes clogs are more complicated or located too far down in the pipes, and the only way they can be fixed is with tools only a professional plumber has access to.
People who attempt to unclog their own sinks too hard can actually damage or even rupture the pipes. Liquid drain cleaner should also never be used, especially for when the kitchen sink is clogged. The chemicals in it are too harsh and may erode the pipes over time, leading to costly pipe repair and potential water damage.

About Locklear Plumbing

Locklear Plumbing, in Calhoun, Georgia, is a prompt, professional, family-owned and operated plumbing business. They service both residential and commercial plumbing services and work on both routine maintenance and emergency jobs. Best of all, they can also help solve your clogged kitchen sink issues.

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