The kitchen is one of the rooms in the house where we spend the most time throughout the day. Therefore, the maintenance of each of the furniture, appliances and utensils present there is essential.
One of the most used is the sink. However, due to daily use, it is easy to accumulate food residue, dirt and soaps, which could contribute to them getting stuck more easily. To avoid this, it requires maintenance that is rarely carried out.
A dirty sink can not only lead to clogs, but can also contribute to the spread of bad odors, the formation of mold and harmful bacteria, as well as water leaks, which could cause irreparable damage, forcing us to call a plumber.
So there is a method to keep the sink free of clogs, perfect for avoiding having to call a specialist and without having to resort to the classic cleaning tricks with baking soda and vinegar.
wire tower
The wire trick is a manual and very useful option to unclog the sink, mainly when the obstruction is located at the mouth of the drain. With it, we will be able to remove the most superficial dirt, thus eliminating the blockage. To carry out this method, you will only need a metal hanger and some cleaning gloves.
To begin, you will need to prepare the tool. To do this, straighten the wire support to make it as straight as possible. Then, bend one end of the hanger, the goal is for it to end up in the shape of a hook.
Once the wire is prepared, insert it into the sink drain and gently push until you find the stuck area. When you can’t insert the tool any further, rotate the wire in circles to try to catch as much debris as possible.
After that, carefully remove the wire so that the stuck remains do not fall back. Repeat this step as many times as necessary depending on the amount of waste present in the sink.
Finally, open the tap and pour hot water to make sure there is no residue left. This way you will clean the pipe and any remains still present in the pipes will be lost with the current.
This method is mainly useful for removing solid waste from the drain opening, such as food scraps accumulated from washing dishes.
Hot water
Another of the simplest home methods that will help unclog the sink is to simply pour hot water. This is one of the simplest and least invasive solutions and it works by unclogging the pipes with solidified debris, such as oils.
To do this, fill a pot with very hot water, being careful not to let it boil, as this could damage the PVC pipes. Then, pour the hot water little by little into different sections of the drain so that it slowly dissolves the blockage.
This process is one of the simplest and safest, so it is possible to repeat the method as many times as necessary if the pipes are still clogged after the first intervention. In addition, performing this technique regularly will serve as prevention to avoid possible traffic jams.
Contact a plumber
If these methods are not effective, it may be necessary to call a plumber to use more advanced techniques to assess the entire clog. Similar to the coat hanger trick, this specialist has a tool called a drain snake or cable, a long wire mesh that can clear most clogs.
However, if this tool does not fulfill its function, it is possible that it is necessary to remove the pipes under the sink, also called siphon. These are the different U-shaped PVC sections that are found under the utensil, normally hidden behind a piece of furniture.
Preventive maintenance of sinks
Although there are useful and specific methods to unclog the sink at home, it is advisable to perform regular maintenance, as well as use preventive methods, to avoid the accumulation of food remains and other types of waste.
One of the most common ways to prevent a clog is to install a screen at the mouth of the sink, which collects all the debris and has small indentations. This way, the tool will only allow liquids to pass through the pipes.
Although there are several types of grids for the sink mouth, such as plastic ones, it is advisable to buy one made of stainless steel, which is more hygienic and durable. In addition, as with the sink, it is necessary to clean them from time to time with soap and water.
