Any home is incomplete without a kitchen. You will find everything you need to nourish your family in this room. The room must also be protected from viruses, bacteria, and other hazardous contaminants. Therefore, a clogged sink is more than just an inconvenience. The presence of standing water is also a health hazard, as it becomes stale very quickly and attracts different types of microbes.
You can quickly overcome your clog in your sink with the right strategies (we’ll show you how) and have your kitchen back to its former glory in no time. The clogging agents that are notorious for clogging double sinks will be discussed below before we discuss how to unclog a double Kitchen Sink.
Why do kitchen clogs happen?
Grease and food scraps are the most common causes of kitchen sink clogs. Food waste, especially oil and fat, accumulates over time and clogs the drains and garbage disposals.
Most sink and tub clogs result from cooking oil, grease, and soap residue stuck near the drain opening. Standing water and odor are two ways to identify kitchen clogs. Sinks that take longer to drain, smell strange, or fill up with debris should be inspected. If you want to prevent your garbage disposal from turning on while you are working on it, make sure you unplug it before you start sticking your hand down the drainpipe.
What you’ll need to unclog
- Rubber gloves: Clogs live in a deep, dank underworld, so gloves are a good choice. You’ll be protecting your fingers by wearing them when handling grease or garbage disposal blades.
- Plumber’s wrench: These slip nuts hold the drain pipe in place, so you must loosen them to remove them.
- Empty bucket: Place it under the open pipe while cleaning the drain trap.
- Plunger: You can also use plungers on your sink, not just for clogged toilets. Plungers with a cup-style design that covers the whole drain opening will provide the best suction.
- Drain snake: Drain snakes, or plumber snakes, are essential for clearing clogs. This retractable, flexible drilling tool can handle them all; whether it’s toilets, shower drains, clogged bathroom sinks, or kitchen sinks. There are hardware stores everywhere where you can purchase it. There are also disposable plastic snakes available that do not need to be cranked.
- Old toothbrush: Drain traps should be detailed if necessary.
- Rags: Overflow openings can be blocked, plungers can be sealed, splashes can be soaked up, and more can be done with them.
- Flash Light: Use your phone or flashlight to illuminate the area. This is for visualizing the clog.
How to Unclog a Double Kitchen Sink Without Garbage Disposal
If the sink strainer is removed, clean the drain hole with rubber gloves, wearing rubber gloves while doing so.
On the side not clogged with debris, insert the sink stopper. What are the benefits of doing this? In that case, food particles will not be forced through the drain but rather will flow from one sink to the next.
The plunger’s rim should be coated with petroleum jelly and placed directly over the drain hole. Ensure the plunger cup is covered with enough water, if not already. At least ten or twelve times per try, vigorously pump the plunger.
How to Unclog a Double Kitchen Sink with Garbage Disposal
Both single and double kitchen sinks with garbage disposals can be connected to this feature. Ensure the drain hole in the sink is not clogged before inserting the sink stopper:
1: Air gaps in sinks
When you plunge, it blocks the water from coming through. You won’t believe how far the water shoots. A chrome-fitting air gap sits next to a faucet, about three inches high. Essentially, it prevents contaminated water from being reabsorbed by the dishwasher.
You can prevent water from flowing into the garbage disposal by securing the hose to the air gap with a small clamp. You can use an old rag over the air gap instead of a C-clamp if you don’t have a C-clamp.
2: Apply petroleum jelly to the plunger
The rim of the length should be coated with petroleum jelly. As a result, the seal is more secure and watertight, creating more plunging force. Make sure the plunger is placed over the drain hole directly. It is important to fill the plunger cup with enough water to cover it.
3: Start plunging
The plunger should be pumped ten to twelve times vigorously. In other words, let the water run until it drains. Your friend can now remove the rag.
Some other Ways to Unclog Kitchen Sink
Use Hot Or Boiling Water
Trying this solution first is the simplest and least expensive option by far. Your drainage pipes will be clean and smooth after boiling water melts grease and fat residue.
It’s not simple to add boiling water to your double sink when there is water floating up it. Standing water can be removed by using a mug, pot, or bucket. Pour hot water into the sink after you have removed all the dirty water. Wait for the water to drain gradually. To prevent water from building up, pour it in small amounts. If your two-sided sink is covered in grease or oils, you might need to repeat this process several times.
Reset Garbage Disposal
There are several reasons why a kitchen sink can become clogged. Your garbage disposal might need to be reset, which might surprise you. You should check if your garbage disposal has overheated if it isn’t running. Make sure the switch is off. Check to see if the clog is cleared after turning the switch back on.
We all know how much easier our lives are with garbage disposal units. This prevents your sink from clogging with food scraps. Coffee grounds and eggshells should not be placed in your garburator if you want it to work properly and last.
The next step is to use a plunger if restarting the garbage disposal does not help.
Use A Plunger
Garbage disposals are usually installed on one side of double sinks. If there is floating water in your kitchen, you should drain it using your kitchen plunger. What is the best way to do it? Simple steps are involved in the process. Start by plugging the side with the garbage disposal at the bottom of the double sink. You can test whether the water will drain by repeatedly pressing the plunger in the other sink.
Plunge the other side of the sink after you’ve plunged the one you started with if the clog doesn’t drain. A plunger can help prevent small particles from accumulating in the pipes and drive them out with pressure. Run boiling water down the system after removing the clog using the plunger to remove any oil or grease residue that may have built up over time.
Salt and Baking Soda
In addition to salt and baking soda, salt and vinegar can also be used to unclog kitchen sinks. Ensure that the clogged kitchen sink is completely dry by removing the standing water. Pour the mixture into your sink before attempting to unclog it to ensure success.
You will need 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup baking soda in a bowl. Once the mixture is ready, pour it in. But here’s the thing: The baking soda and salt mixture needs to work for at least four hours. The mixture must be flushed with temperature water after the time has elapsed.
Remove And Check The Trap
Here are some simple steps you can take to avoid the trap. Place a bucket beneath the pipes under the kitchen sink cabinet after clearing out the cabinet. The pipe should be eased off with the help of a wrench. The bucket will collect water that is usually held in the unit to keep the work area clean.
As soon as the pipe has been removed, inspect it for debris or particles. If you need to remove debris, use a wire coathanger or plumber’s snake. It is usually impossible to unclog a clogged pipe with a plunger because the clogged material is usually very thick. The trap should be cleaned outdoors or in a cleaning area. If debris or other particles are stuck in your system, run hot water thoroughly to remove them.
In the end, the trap needs to be returned to the sink drainage system after it has been cleaned. After you’ve done this, verify the drainage problem has been resolved by running hot water. The drainage should work perfectly after five minutes if you pour water into the sink several times. Your faulty kitchen drainage system has now been plumb successfully.
Salt And Baking Soda
No vinegar on hand? It’s no problem. DIY enthusiasts can use salt to unclog drains and pipes. Mix salt and baking soda in a dish. The mixture should be poured down the drain and allowed to sit for 4-6 hours (before pouring the mixture down the drain, remove all still water from the sinks).
Pour hot water over the mixture once it has worked for a few hours. When the first attempt doesn’t work, repeat it several times. Grease and oil-related clogs can be easily removed using this method.
It is also possible to get the job done by mixing boiling water with salt for several minutes. A mixture of salt and boiling water works well for unclogging. In this way, you can use your sink normally again since it will clean the pipes and remove grease and fat buildup. When the plunger fails, use salt and baking soda; it works best after a while.
Plumber’s Snake
Your P-trap was removed and cleaned up to remove residues. The clog further up the system is not reachable despite your efforts to clean the dirt from inside the trap. Plumber snakes are useful for this purpose. It is relatively easy to break down a clog buried deeper within a trap with the use of this tool.
Plumbing snakes or drain snakes can reach areas where wire coat hangers cannot. You may have a hard time cleaning your clogged sink whenever you clean the dishes unless you buy this plumbing tool from your local hardware store. When a plunger cannot clear the drain, plumber’s snakes come in handy.
To clean up grease, fat, or oil residues that might have remained in the system after cleaning with the plumber’s snake, set up the trap again and run hot water through the system. Now you can test the effectiveness of your DIY plumbing by running the faucet. Once the plumber’s snake has been used thoroughly, the sink should drain.
How to Avoid Clogs in the Future
As a final note, you should not try to unclog a double sink with a clothes hanger. There is no point in trying it, as it won’t work. In addition, because of the way the pipes curve and turn, it doesn’t even enter the drainage system. I will summarize what will work below.
Remember to plug the other sink before you plunge away at the clog in your double kitchen sink if you encounter a clog. While you are plunging, the water will push the clog loose and prevent it from pouring into the other sink. As you use the plunger, the plug in the opposite sink may not stay tightly in place, so you may have to hold it in place.
When disposing of grease left over after cooking, run hot water into the drain to avoid clogs. Keeping your sink’s drain clean by installing a debris catcher will help avoid clogs. A clog can easily be caused by a piece of food entering the draining system or other debris entering the draining system.
FAQs
How to unclog one side of a double sink?
Plunging the sink with a basic plunger may be the easiest solution if it works. In the case of dishwashers, clamp the hose. Three inches of water should be poured into the clogged sink. By doing so, the plunger will be sealed against the clogged pipe.
How to unclog a sink with standing water?
The first step is to drain the sink of all stagnant water. It generates a seal around the drain when it is filled halfway up with hot water. Start pumping the sink plunger up and down swiftly after placing the plunger over the drain. The water will flow freely once the plunger has been removed. If it doesn’t, repeat the procedure until it does.
Clogged kitchen sink on both sides? What should I do?
A blocked main drain or clogged garbage disposal may be the cause of both sides of your double kitchen sinks being clogged. You can unclog your drain by mixing baking soda with hot water, which also works great as a cleanser and odor absorber.
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Wrapping Up
Regardless of whether you have a garbage disposal, you can easily unclog a single or double kitchen sink. You can even handle it if you are a first-time homeowner.
Do not use chemicals to unclog your double or single sink in the kitchen if you are doing this on your own. There is usually no benefit to using store-bought products, and they often make the situation worse. They can damage drains and plumbing because they are so harsh. A plumber should always be contacted for really stubborn clogs.
