How to Properly Unclog a Drain by Yourself

There is a certain quality that a good plumber has that makes him different from other plumbers. You will know a good plumber if he tells you how to prevent an issue from reoccuring or tell you how to fix most of the easy stuff. You might wonder, “Why would he do that? That would be bad for his business!” Well, the thing is, it is highly unlikely that we can completely avoid having to call a plumber unless one is a plumber himself. For simple things like clogged drains, there are things we can do to unclog it and avoid having to call. My plumber told me how to unclog a drain:

Tips for flushing the drain:
– If there’s still water in the sink, remove as much of it as you can.
– Put a cup of baking soda and some vinegar into the drain followed by a kettle of boiling water.
– If the water goes down completely, pour another kettle of boiling water to flush it again then open the faucet for a few minutes to allow cool water to run down the drain.
– If it’s still giving you trouble after the first time, try to do it a couple more times during different times of the day.

Plunging:
– A sink plunger (smaller than a toilet plunger) is needed for this method. You’ll also need to have enough water in the sink to a least reach the top of the rubber part of the plunger (around a few inches of water).
– Clear the drain by plunging continuously using the plunger. Let tap water run to accumulate enough water to reach the desired level whenever the water goes lower than a few inches.

Removing the Trap from the U-Pipe/Elbow Pipe
– You should be able to find a trap or plug underneath the sink. When you find it, you should remove it so you can clear the clog with a wire hanger or a plumber’s snake. Don’t forget to place a bucket underneath the pipe to catch the water that will go down the drain.

My plumbers Anaheim CA gave me these tips after helping me with my drain. There are other tips that include prevention and things you could do when you get a water leak or a burst pipe but I will put those in seperate articles.