Unblocking the kitchen sink

Toxic_Lemon

There's a certain combination of store cupboard ingredients you can use that bubble up and unblock the sink. I saw it on 'How Clean is your House' but can't remember the combination. I think you need bicarb and white vinegar. Give me a minute to look it up.

mum_2_1_boy

Hello,

You can try bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar. Put a few tbsp of bicarb over the plug hole then pour over some white vinegar and leave to fizz and drain away.

HTH

Toxic_Lemon

Remove all the water from the sink and pour a pot of bicarbonate of soda down the plug hole, some salt and then tip in a bottle of vinegar. Leave for one hour, then pour in a some boiling water.

candygirl

I always use soda crystals then boiling water!!works a treat:beer: :beer:

HappyIdiotTalk

georgiasmum wrote:

My neighbour suggested caustic soda. Is that dangerous???

Thats what we've used in the past.

And yes it is dangerous, but it'll clear your blockage no messing. You can get it from hardware stores and places like B&Q, Wickes ect...

If you do get some, give it your full attention when you use it, its not the sort of stuff you want to get in your eyes. Protect them with goggles if you have them.

And store it where you can guarantee your children wont be able to find/get to it.

Also, add the powder to cold water, DONT add water to the powder. ANd use cold water, this stuff heats up so if you use hot water to start with your asking for trouble!

I dont mean to put you off because its great stuff. But you have to be very careful with it, especially at this time of year.

malamala

candygirl wrote:

I always use soda crystals then boiling water!!works a treat:beer: :beer:

That's what I used too, quick, easy and cheap!!

troll35

No one has suggested emptying the cupboard underneath, placing a large bowl/bucket under the u-bend and unscrewing it. It should only be hand tightened. Any gunk can be easily removed outside and flushed down the drain. Give the u-bend a good clean in a bucket of bleachy water and screw it back on. It shouldn't take much elbow grease and is virtually free.

LJM

yep me too a cup full of soda crystals followed by kettle boiling water clears them out and by doing it regularly like once week stops it getting blocked

furndire

When using soda crystals the important thing is to make sure you put loads of very hot water down after you have used them - if not you can block your drain!!! :eek: as the crystals solidify and stick to the pipes. I found this out to my cost when I didn't put enough hot water down.

martindow

Another easy thing to try is a sink plunger which often shifts blockages. I would then follow that with washing soda and hot water as it is likely to be fat that is causing the problem. Some pipework is not well designed and blocks very easily. I lived in a house with an extension which meant that the drain pipe had a long run to get out of the house. There was not enough slope on the pipe and it constantly blocked. I used to put washing soda down it weekly as a precaution.