You may be busy washing your dishes as normal. As you get to rinsing, the water pools in the sink even after opening the sink plug. You may even check the drain for debris, only for your investigation to yield no answers. At this point, you may try switching on the garbage disposal unit. It may start humming and grinding, offering some temporary relief.

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Well, if you’re at this stage already and questioning what to do next, aside from buying drain clog remover, this article can offer some informed advice. We will both look at some other homemade interventions you can try, and advise about the suitability of calling a plumber in Henderson to address the problem: 

Many have tried boiling water 

The quickest and easiest solution that you can try involves boiling water on the stove, and pouring it down the drain. It’s important to remove the standing water from the sink, and you can use any container at your disposal while pouring the water in a working drain such as the toilet. After pouring the hot water, you should let it sit for a couple of minutes, and if there is no improvement, it means that the sink is still clogged. You may attempt the technique a second time. But if you’re still unsuccessful, you need to move to another option. 

Try the Golden solution: Vinegar and baking soda 

You don’t need any harsh chemicals to break up grease and debris clogs in your kitchen drain. Try a vinegar and baking soda solution. The first step will be to remove the standing water. Simply measure a cup of baking soda and pour it into the drain. You then need to do a follow-up with a cup of white vinegar. The mixture is bound to foam as the two compounds react to produce carbon dioxide. That’s why it’s advisable to place the sink plug over the opening for up to 15 minutes. After removing the sink plug, you should ideally run hot water, which may help in dissolving any leftover gunk. Things should get back to normal, but if your sink still shows signs of slow drainage, you can think of attempting the next intervention. 

Check for any garbage disposal problems: Cautiously!

The garbage disposal unit could be part and parcel of the problem. It may clog at the impellers, resulting in jammed blades. There may be debris in the waste line or food bits stuck inside. Running the unit for about two minutes or three while flushing it with hot water may offer a solution to the problem. But it’s important to be quite careful and never put your hand down the drain as the blades may be quite sharp. At times, the garbage disposal unit overheats and may require to be manually switched on. You can find the on/off button under the sink. 

A plunger does best

Since 1874, the plunger has been the go-to vent clearer. It’s quite basic in its operational principle. You press it down over the kitchen drain, which forces air into the drain to break up the clog through forced pressure. Purchasing a new plunger will only set you back about $10, and you can find it online or at your local hardware store. The plunger will also be handy in clearing up toilet clogs. You can also use the plunger in combination with hot water. When it gets to the clearing action, just pump it quickly several times and remove the plunger to see if the sink has started draining. There are also sink plungers made just for these times.

If you’re particularly handy, try a drain snake

You can try using a plumbing snake, a tool commonly employed by plumbers to clear the most stubborn blockages. There are different types of plumbing snakes, from professional mechanical grade to DIY devices that you can purchase at your local hardware store or Amazon. It’s even possible if you are especially handy to make a DIY plumbing snake using a metal clothes hanger and using pliers to work it around. The moment that you insert the plumbing snake and encounter a blockage, you’ll physically feel that you have encountered an obstruction.  You just need to poke at it until it breaks away. After clearing the obstruction, you can also run hot water to rinse your system. 

Clean the P-Trap

You can find the p-trap by checking underneath your sink cabinets. It’s shaped like an elbow or the letter U. The p-trap plays an important role in catching the debris. It even prevents sewer gases from peeping from the main drain into the kitchen sink. So over time, there will be a build-up of gunk in the p-trap that needs to be cleaned. It’s something that you can handle yourself and with minimum tools, particularly if you have a PVC p-trap. For the procedure on how to open the p-trap, it’s recommended that you place a bucket to catch any water. Next, you unscrew the connection, and you may need to remove the slip nuts at either end. Hold the p-trap firmly as you unscrew, as the pressure from the water may cause you to drop it. Once the p-trap is free, you can also feed a plumbing snake into the drain to ensure that you don’t have blockages downstream. 

Get Help from a Plumber

There is no need to get technical with your clogged sink by trying inventions such as using a plumbing snake or removing the p-trap. When in doubt, you should always get help from professional plumbers.