A double kitchen sink offers versatility in a busy kitchen, but it also means more food can find its way into the drain and lead to annoying clogs. Luckily, learning how to unclog a double kitchen sink with standing water and free up grease buildup is a simple fix. Put on your best cleaning gloves and grab your trusty plunger—it’s time to unclog a drain.
Why Is My Double Kitchen Sink Clogged?
Over time, food scraps that fall off plates—or that kids throw into the sink while practicing their basketball skills from the other side of the room—can start to clog a kitchen sink. Any cooking oil or fatty food is especially likely to form into a clog, making it essential to know DIY methods for clearing a drain.
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The signs of a sink clog include:
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Water that is slow to drain or doesn’t drain at all
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An unpleasant odor coming from the sink
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The garbage disposal isn’t working
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The water in the sink is brown or murky
How Much Does It Cost to Unclog a Sink?
If you don’t want to spend your weekend unclogging your sink, you can always hire a plumber to complete the job. The cost to unclog a drain is between $150 and $350, with most homeowners paying an average of $250.
6 Ways to Unclog Your Double Kitchen Sink
Unclogging a double kitchen sink is not dissimilar to unclogging a single one, and you might be able to fix the source of your problem with a tried-and-true plunger. Here are seven ways to unclog your double kitchen sink and get it working again.
1. Reset Your Garbage Disposal
The most common cause of a clogged kitchen sink is a clogged garbage disposal. Safety first; shut off the garbage disposal completely, so it doesn’t accidentally turn on while you’re working. In addition, arm yourself with heavy-duty gloves—it’s better to keep yourself protected from whatever mysteries lurk there.
If standing water is on the sink’s disposal side, you can try unclogging the garbage disposal by plunging the drain. If that doesn’t work, try resetting your disposal.
To reset your disposal, press the red reset button on it. Wait ten minutes, then try running water and turning the disposal on to ensure it’s in working order. The red button should stay pressed and flush against the unit. If it pops up, you may have another issue at hand, such as an electrical problem.
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You can also try manually turning the blades if it’s jammed. Simply use an Allen wrench to turn the blades via the small hole on the bottom of the disposal. If this doesn’t work and you suspect your disposal is in good condition, move on to the next course of action.
2. Use a Plunger
A plunger isn’t just for the bathroom; you can also use a plunger to unclog a sink. This handy tool works using water pressure, so with a double sink, you’ll need to cover the unclogged side with a rag or a basket strainer to seal it. Fill the clogged sink with 4 to 5 inches of water (don’t use chemical cleaners here), and plunge the drain for 20 to 30 seconds.
Pop the plunger off the drain to see if the water drains easily. If not, try plunging a few more times.
3. Check and Clean the P Trap
If plunging doesn’t work, it’s time to take more intense measures and clean the P trap, the curved drain part under the sink. Place a bucket under the sink—water will inevitably trickle out when you remove the P trap (and it’ll likely be dirty).
Dissemble the trap by loosening the slip nut and releasing the P trap. Remove both the slip nut and the nut at the bottom of the waste tee. Clean out any debris from the P trap.
Inspect the P trap for any cracks or damage, and replace it if necessary. Then test the water drainage and test for leaks.
4. Clean the Trap Arm
Still clogged? Let’s try removing and cleaning the trap arm next. Remove the P trap and use pliers to remove the slip nut attached to the wall. Slide off the trap arm from the drain line stub-out.
Grab any debris you can find in the pipe stub-out. You might want to use a long, sturdy object like a screwdriver. Replace the piping, and test the water again.
5. Try a Natural Drain Cleaner
Giving your drain a good cleaning might be enough to clear grease and debris causing a clog. You can make biodegradable drain cleaners that won’t damage your pipes. If you don’t have any of the following items, make a quick shopping trip.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar down each side of the sink. Cover the openings and let the mixture work its magic for about 10 minutes. Run a gallon of warm water down each side to finish flushing debris.
Baking Soda and Salt
Mix up a batch of baking soda and salt in a 2:1 ratio—1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of salt should be plenty. Pour the mixture down the drain, and let it sit for a few hours (now is a good time to run some errands, so you won’t forget to avoid using the sink).
When you’re back from the market or soccer practice, pour some boiling water down the drain.
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Note: Only use boiling water if you have metal pipes. PVC pipes will soften or melt upon contact with a liquid above 140 degrees.
6. Use a Drain Snake
If cleaning the trap arm and P trap was unsuccessful, you can snake the drain. Loosen the setscrew on the snake and pull out about 8 to 10 inches of cable. Once the cable is out, retighten the setscrew.
Spin the snake into the drain line. Continue turning the snake even when met with resistance; this could be the clog! You might also hit a curve in the drain, in which case keep turning the snake but add additional cable by loosening the setscrew and retightening it once the cable is out.
Once you feel the tension in the cable loosen, you’ve likely unclogged the drain. Turn the crank counterclockwise to retract the snake’s cable. For extra credit, run the snake through one or two more times to ensure you’ve gotten every clog.
Reassemble the pipes, and run warm water through the sink
Related Article
How to Prevent a Clogged Double Kitchen Sink
Follow these tips to prevent a kitchen sink clog from occurring and save yourself the effort of having to unclog a double kitchen sink.
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Keep food, coffee, and grease out of drains; clean off dirty plates by wiping food into the trash rather than the garbage disposal.
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Pour liquid grease, like bacon fat, into an old coffee container or jar and seal it until it’s solid enough to toss.
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Use a mesh drain strainer to catch food scraps.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
The methods we’ve outlined here are doable by even the novice DIYer, but we understand that time is valuable, and it makes more sense to hire a local plumber. You might also need to call in a pro if you can’t unclog the drain, as that can indicate a clog elsewhere in your home’s pipes. A plumber can access more powerful tools, such as an auger.
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Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens
