Question 1

Why is my sink draining slowly?

Accepted Answer

A slow sink is a partial blockage — nearly always fat, soap and food congealed in the trap or the waste pipe just past it. It won't clear itself, and it will become a full blockage. Start with the trap: put a bucket underneath, unscrew it, and clean it out. That fixes the majority of slow kitchen sinks. The trap is the U-bend directly under the plughole. It's there to hold a plug of water that stops drain smells coming back up, and it's also, inevitably, where everything collects. On a kitchen sink that's fat and food; on a basin it's hair, toothpaste and soap scum. Most traps unscrew by hand — a bucket underneath, unscrew both collars, lift it out, and clean it through. That is a genuinely doable job, and it is the first thing a plumber would check anyway. If the trap is clear and it still drains slowly, the blockage is further down the waste pipe, and if it's more than one fixture draining slowly — sink and bath, or everything on the ground floor — the problem is in the drain itself rather than under the sink. That's the point to stop poking and call someone. A word on caustic drain cleaners: use them sparingly, if at all. They can struggle with a fat blockage, they damage some plastic waste pipes and older seals, and if they don't clear it, the next person to open that trap is doing so with a pipe full of caustic liquid in it. Tell your plumber if you've used any.

Question 2

Why is my sink not draining?

Accepted Answer

A slow sink is a partial blockage — nearly always fat, soap and food congealed in the trap or the waste pipe just past it. It won't clear itself, and it will become a full blockage. Start with the trap: put a bucket underneath, unscrew it, and clean it out. That fixes the majority of slow kitchen sinks. The trap is the U-bend directly under the plughole. It's there to hold a plug of water that stops drain smells coming back up, and it's also, inevitably, where everything collects. On a kitchen sink that's fat and food; on a basin it's hair, toothpaste and soap scum. Most traps unscrew by hand — a bucket underneath, unscrew both collars, lift it out, and clean it through. That is a genuinely doable job, and it is the first thing a plumber would check anyway. If the trap is clear and it still drains slowly, the blockage is further down the waste pipe, and if it's more than one fixture draining slowly — sink and bath, or everything on the ground floor — the problem is in the drain itself rather than under the sink. That's the point to stop poking and call someone. A word on caustic drain cleaners: use them sparingly, if at all. They can struggle with a fat blockage, they damage some plastic waste pipes and older seals, and if they don't clear it, the next person to open that trap is doing so with a pipe full of caustic liquid in it. Tell your plumber if you've used any.

Question 3

Why is my sink blocked?

Accepted Answer

A slow sink is a partial blockage — nearly always fat, soap and food congealed in the trap or the waste pipe just past it. It won't clear itself, and it will become a full blockage. Start with the trap: put a bucket underneath, unscrew it, and clean it out. That fixes the majority of slow kitchen sinks. The trap is the U-bend directly under the plughole. It's there to hold a plug of water that stops drain smells coming back up, and it's also, inevitably, where everything collects. On a kitchen sink that's fat and food; on a basin it's hair, toothpaste and soap scum. Most traps unscrew by hand — a bucket underneath, unscrew both collars, lift it out, and clean it through. That is a genuinely doable job, and it is the first thing a plumber would check anyway. If the trap is clear and it still drains slowly, the blockage is further down the waste pipe, and if it's more than one fixture draining slowly — sink and bath, or everything on the ground floor — the problem is in the drain itself rather than under the sink. That's the point to stop poking and call someone. A word on caustic drain cleaners: use them sparingly, if at all. They can struggle with a fat blockage, they damage some plastic waste pipes and older seals, and if they don't clear it, the next person to open that trap is doing so with a pipe full of caustic liquid in it. Tell your plumber if you've used any.

Why is my sink draining slowly?

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