How To Unclog Your Kitchen Drain Pipes

Slow drain or clog? Kitchen drain pipes are prone to unnecessary clogging. Undissolved food particles like rice, scum, fats and grease from utensils can easily cause clogging. Most of us have definitely experienced the inconvenience of clogged kitchen drain pipes at one point in life. This has to be the reason for about 122,958 plumber companies in existence in the US. The plumbing business is booming as a survey revealed a significant increase of these plumbing companies. The good news is that you don’t have to resort to calling plumbers at every slightest clog. While it may be wise to do so, you could do it yourself and save about $300 in charges. Read on to learn some seven ways of how to unclog your kitchen drain pipes:

Use Boiling Water To Unclog

Boiling water is an easy step that drains out several particles from your pipes. It’s the best to begin with. Follow these steps to get it done:

Boil water in a kettle or jug.
If you have been washing utensils, use a cup to remove standing water from the sink.
Pour the boiled water and let it drain.
If the water is not draining, it means the pipes are still clogged.
Repeat the process with about 5 cups of water.

Switch to the next steps if the clog proves difficult to resolve.

Examine Your Garbage Disposal

Sometimes you might be dealing with the wrong culprit. Garbage disposals could be the cause of your entire headache. Check to see whether everything is running smoothly.

Turn on the garbage disposal. It clears out garbage which might be the cause of clogging.
If your garbage disposal is not functioning, reset to reboot it. The switch may be located at the side or the bottom of the sink.
Broken garbage disposal will fail to unclog. Switch off the power to and manually try turning the blades. Use an Allen wrench to insert into the hole at the bottom of the garbage hole. Turn and twist until you feel that there are no more blockages.
Switch on the power and try out the garbage disposal to see if it works after the fact.

As you examine your garbage disposal, you might find no issues with it. In this case, try out the next step.

Plunge

Use a flat-bottomed plunger if the previous method fails.

Boil water and fill half the sink creating a seal around the drain.
Place the plunger on top of the drain and pump repeatedly.
Take out the plunger. Is the water draining?
If the water is not flowing out, repeat the process.

You can pat yourself on the back if this method works, otherwise, proceed to the next drill if this fails.

Try Salt And Boiling Water

You might be terribly exhausted after trying all these out, but don’t sweat it, it doesn’t kill to keep trying. Follow these steps to make some progress.

Get a half-cup of table salt and pour it into your kitchen drain pipes.
Pour boiling water and let it sit.
Dispense more hot water to flush through the drain pipes.

Vinegar And Baking Soda

Right now, all might seem futile. Is that you calling a plumber? Don’t touch that dial yet. I promise you Vinegar and baking soda have a higher success rate. The mixture is a natural solution in most kitchens. Unlike using harsh chemical solutions. Here’s how to use vinegar and baking soda:

Clear your sink (remove any standing water).
Pour a cup of baking soda into the kitchen pipes (force it through).
Empty one cup of white vinegar into the sink.
Seal the kitchen pipe mouth.
Allow the contents in the pipe to stay for about 15 minutes.
Remove the seal and let hot tap water flow through the pipes.
To get rid of tough clogs, pour boiling water.

Note: A single remedy for unclogging kitchen pipes might not be a complete success. So, repeat the above DIY steps.

Use Plumber Snake Or Coat Hanger

Resolving to a plumber snake means the pipes have a tough clog. The snake is long and can deal with such clogs. If you don’t have a plumber snake, use a coat hanger. The hanger can be modified using needle-nose pliers to unwind the hanger but maintain the end with a hook. Now, start unclogging:

Let the tool into the drain slowly. Avoid forcing it through as it will push the clog further.
Are you feeling any debris? If yes, hook it on your snake or hanger and try pulling it out.
Repeat the procedure to get all the debris out and clear the kitchen drain pipes.
To test that all debris is gone, run hot water through the pipes.

Electric plumber snakes can also be a potent option. If you own one, make use of it often.

Check Out The P-trap

Under your sink is an elbow-shaped pipe called the P-trap. Sometimes the blockage is in the trap. Unclogging it is easy:

Place a container under the elbow-shaped pipe to hold any falling gunk or water.
Unscrew the P-trap from the drainpipe and remove all the debris in it.
Replace the P-trap and fasten it to ensure it’s closed up.
Run hot water through the pipe for about 2 minutes.

Maintain an unclogged kitchen drain pipe through frequent cleaning. It’s possible to go all year without dealing with clogs if you maintain proper cleaning habits in the kitchen. Always run a decent amount of water down the drain pipes after every wash. Besides, you can always rely on the above guidelines to unclog your pipes.