Chronically stopped-up bathroom sink

[DonaldsRump]

Help all, please!

We have a bathroom sink that gets stopped-up quite frequently. Usually, I pour Liquid-Plumr down the drain (it claims it won't hurt pipes). Then, after the clog clears, I pour tons of hot water down the drain. That usually works fine, but just for awhile. The clog then re-appears, just like it is doing right now.

2 questions:

1) Is Liquid-Plumr safe for bathroom pipes? This bathroom is fairly new, so I think it's got PVC piping, at least from what I can see.

2) Is there something else that I can do to reduce/eliminate the problem? We don't seem to have this problem with any other sinks. I don't particularly like doing plumbing work, but I suppose I can in a pinch.

Thanks everyone!

[58Sunliner]

1. Sounds like you need to snake the sink.

You can do this from under the sink also by removing the trap and going straight in the drain pipe that goes into the wall. Use a bucket and have fun.

[CrispyQ]

2. We use a Zip It Drain Cleaning tool.

Google it & you will find lots of them.

[deek]

16. I second this easy solution to try n/t

.

[drray23]

3. check the syphon.

the u tube shaped connection. just cut water supply and take it apart. Usually they are easy to disconnect. Its likely partially clogged and maybe its retaining things like hair or if you shave there.

[safeinOhio]

4. I use a plunger on my bathroom sink.

Cover up the hole below the faucet and plunge away. All kind of gunk comes out that I wipe out. Then I run hot water. About once a month.

[janterry]

7. Yes, I agree!

This is the best thing to do. (and easiest)

[Phoenix61]

5. Check under the sink and see what type of

P trap they used. They make ones that aren’t smooth and tend to clog a little easier. If you’re shaving over the sink run enough water for all the hair to run through the p trap instead of sitting there and making a clog.

[SamKnause]

6. I use a plunger on my bathroom sinks and bathtubs.

Then I pour boiling water down the drains several times in row.

This keeps them from forming clogs.

I pour boiling water down my kitchen drain everyday.

I occasionally plunge the toilets to keep them from clogging.

[Kali]

8. can you guess where the clog is?

does it back up right away or seem to run down the drain for a while before it starts backing up? for a short run try one of those plastic hair remover things that come with some drain products (then stop wasting your money on them) looks like a jagged strip about 1/2 inch wide with a pull ring at one end.

if further along than the p trap, first check for clear, properly installed vent pipe, then try a snake at the p trap to wall area (requires disconnecting)

its not hard, just aggravating. pvc is a miracle - think about working with metal, then relax and keep going. if it is a new set up it shouldnt be too gross, but I wonder if it is mechanical (bad angles or vent problems) rather than a clog?

[LunaSea]

18. Good point!

Locating the clog determines how you treat it.
Repeated treatments with mild acid (like liq plumber) is a waste of money if the clog
is far down the drain. By the time the acid reaches it, it's even too dilute to do much aside from making a small hole in the clog.

Had a similar problem with a kitchen drain, finally rented a motorized snake and reamed it out
way down the pipe. Fix has lasted for years with a little help from some serious sulphuric acid added on occasion.

Clogs often happen when two drain lines (like kitchen and bath) meet and gunk builds at the junction.

Air and water pressure are good ways of working it too.
The hardware store will have a thing called a "Drain King". It's a rubber tube with a small hole at one end and an attachment that fits a garden hose. You disconnect the drain under the sink and stick the drain king into
the pipe and turn the water on. The rubber bladder swells to the pipes diameter, sealing it and then forcing pressurized water into the pipe. This is the cheapest solution you will find. Drain kings come in a couple of sizes for less than a bottle of weak acid.

[DonaldsRump]

20. I went ahead and got a 25 foot auger from Amazon (amazingly it was on a Cyber Monday sale today)

The Liquid Plum'r has worked worked for now, but the clog will definitely be back in a few weeks. Fresh water is draining and somewhat quickly. However, if the pipes were complete clean, I would think the fresh water would drain more rapidly.

I looked at the plastic hair/gunk removers on Amazon, but, in the reviews, some folks have had them break inside the pipes. I am semi-handy with tools, but I think the odds are that I would do more damage with something like this. Plus the longest plastic ones that I have appear to be around 18" max. So they work for sinks, but probably not for tubs/drains.

The hand crank auger I ordered goes up to 25 feet, and I figure I can use for the other sinks in our house, as well as bathtub/shower drains.

We'll see. Hopefully, it will work. I've read that if there is a blockage in the pipes/P-trap, it will be disgusting when I (hopefully) pull it out. But it will make a huge difference. I hope this is it, as it means that was probably the issue, and that the Liquid Plumb'r was making enough of a passage to let the standing water through but not fixing the main problem.

If this is successful, as a preventative measure going forward, I'll use the baking powder/vinegar combination folks here have mentioned, which I think is far better for everyone and everything than Liquid Plumb'r or Drano. That, plus monthly plunging and pouring boiling water, will hopefully keep things in good running order.

If all of this doesn't work, I'll take the trap off and start augering from there if I can't do it from the drain on the sink itself.

Thanks again to everyone for the great ideas for this nettlesome issue.

[Kali]

21. you have to really jam it in the drain to make it go past the P trap

and there is a risk of it not ever going around the turn, damage to the sink, the drain lever, and even the bottom of the trap. here is what I would do: get some rubber gloves and a bucket. run hot water down the sink to make sure you have diluted and rinsed any chemicals that are in there on down the tubes. place the bucket under the p trap then take it apart. there is likely a slip joint or two somewhere nearby that you unscrew. as mentioned elsewhere they are likely only hand tightened or can be unscrewed with a pair of channel lock pliers (don't crush the plastic, but if you do just take the parts down to the hardware store and get new ones - they are cheap)







you can take the parts to another sink or outside to clean it out, leave the bucket to catch drips

the little zip plastic things are just for working at the drain itself and the short distance to the P, I have one that is 10 years old I got at Ace, I think. it is great for pulling the clot of long human hair and cat fur that finds its way down the tub drain. I keep screens in all sink drains (I removed the drain plug on the lever that comes with the sink - who fills a sink for anything anymore? get a plastic basin if you need to wash the cat ), but my tub screen is a flat one that isn't as good as the sink ones.



note: the screens get gross and disgusting too but they are a LOT easier to clean than a p-trap, you can brush them out in a small container of water with an old tooth brush and either flush or toss outside.

[DonaldsRump]

22. Wow!

Kali:

This is great and much appreciated! Thank you so much for going through all the effort to put this together.

I considered all the things you mentioned and then opted for the auger. I will probably wind up taking the trap off and even was considering ordering the channel locks (but didn't. I might still get them yet). I did order some plumber's tape if I have to take the trap off and put it back on.

I also considered getting this complete replacement for the drain pipes/P-trap for $14.89 called the "Snappy Trap Universal Drain Kit":



It has rave reviews on both Amazon and Home Depot. It's meant to be a complete one-stop shop to replace everything down there without having to make multiple trips to the hardware store, something which I unfortunately have a tendency to do. You don't need anything else like plumber's putty etc. Folks in the reviews say that, even without any plumbing experience, it took them no more than 30 mins from start to finish.

I actually do fill the sink when shaving, but that's usually the only time. That's why I still have the stopper attached to the lever on the faucet. I've put in a hair trap in an upstairs shower that has no stopper and that catches a lot of stuff for sure.

Again, thank you. Will try everything over the weekend and will let everyone know how I fared.

DR

[Kali]

23. you are welcome

unfortunately, I have a fair amount of plumbing experience. it is all do-it-yourself out here. just the travel would be more than I would want to pay.

don't freak out if after you get everything back together there is still a random drip - don't overtighten things. just keep a drip pan under it and see if time and fresh drain scum doesn't fill in any imperfections. (yes I am serious) a heavy drip needs attention but a very slow with time between often seals up on its own.

most of that full replacement product looks good. the flex hose going into the wall bothers me, if those ridges are on the inside too it is just asking for build up. buy a second one if it fits well and works so you will be ready for next time.

AND don't forget - there are you tube videos of EVERYTHING!

[DonaldsRump]

27. Crapola! The p-trap is cemented in!

I just was getting ready to take the p-trap off and realized whoever installed it used some kind of transparent glue/cement! So, I can't even take the trap off.

Surely that was wrong to install it that way? I REALLY don't want to take it off, as it's way beyond my skill level. I didn't even think to look down in the cabinet after I saw the PVC p-trap and it was only when I was trying to unscrew it by hand that I realized it was cemented in.

(on edit: from some internet research, I see that cementing it in is apparently the recommended way to make it leakproof.)

I guess I am now stuck with jamming the auger in. I've seen some YouTube videos on how to get the auger past the trap. Of course, they were all done by professional plumbers.

[Kali]

28. It's plastic, you can probably cut it easily

But before you do that maybe take a few pictures and post them. let me see if I can help you out. The good thing about drains is there's no water pressure involved so leaks are easy to fix. Usually

[DonaldsRump]

29. Thank you

But, heavens Kali: I don't have a clue on how to cut this. If I fubar this sink, I'm in big trouble!

Will try to post pix over the next few days, and I do appreciate this!

[Kali]

30. A hacksaw will cut it easily, even a box cutter, but maybe not safely.

Grey drain slime is one thing, but your family probably doesn't want your blood all over the bathroom.

[llmart]

25. I'm going to second the information that Kali gave you.

I've done this a couple of times in my current house. Drain cleaners and augurs seem to be only a temporary fix. Once you remove the PVC elbow and connectors you'll probably be amazed at the amount of gross stuff clogging the pipes.

If this is the first time you do this, take pics of how it all comes apart if you have several PVC rings and pipes to remove. Also take pics of how the stopper get reconnected to the rod. Take each part to another sink to clean it (I use bleach and a brush). If you need to clean the straight pipe that goes into the wall I just use a long bristled brush such as they sell for cleaning the lint out of the dryer.

Of course, always have a bucket under the elbow pipe before you get started and I use an LED flashlight to see what I'm doing.

It really isn't that difficult to do and there's very little that can go wrong. Plus, once you accomplish all that you'll know how to do it again, because you will have to do it again in the future. Oh, and yes, YouTube is your friend if you want to watch the process first.

[DonaldsRump]

26. Excellent advice.

Should be getting my auger tomorrow, and have my camera, bucket, flashlight etc ready for a total adventure under sink.

This will be totally therapeutic for me if I can fix this.

Thank you!

[Arne]

9. Wait, where am I?

It may be messy but easy to do.
Under the sink drain is the 'trap'.
Everything down there is usually only hand tight
but it could be very old.
There is probably something in the trap.
Trapped as it whear.
Remove just the trap, it's gross,
they will have one in hardware.
Try to not screw or unscrew anything else or
you may regret it.

[Bayard]

10. I am not a plumber

And I don't play one on TV. But we get this problem occasionally with our toilet. The whole bathroom is new, from a few years ago. Turns out that contractor (per the plumber we've been using), put no drop in the pipe to the outside. No gravity to help push. So it has to be snaked about every 6 months. My husband puts yeast down it every month to replenish good microbes.

What happens if you plunge the sink? We've never had much luck with Liquid Plumber type products.

[OAITW r.2.0]

11. Sounds like you are opening the clog, but not really removing the obstructions.

If you have a trap with a threaded plug, I would remove that and use a wire coat hanger or some 12 ga. Romex wiring to fish out any plugs....usually hair/soap mixture. Put a little "J' hook on the wire to grab and remove the blockage. You should have some pipe tape to tape the threads before reseating to avoid any small leaks.

[cayugafalls]

12. You have to remove the stopper and use a small auger or clothes hanger to get down there and get

what is really clogging the drain. Most likely hair that has accumulated soap and gunk. The liquid products will temporarily dissolve some of the gunk and allow more flow, but it will not get the greasy hair out. You need to remove it or push it through with a drain auger.

[luv2fly]

17. Yep that exactly

Ours stops up now and then and we used to do the sulfury-smelling stuff in a black bottle inside a heavy-duty plastic bag that looks dangerous as hell. Started to not work as well so bent a coat hangar and fished out all the nasty hair/soap/gunk and that solved the problem. I never even use the black bottle stuff anymore, just the coat hangar hook.

[DonaldsRump]

13. Goodness me! Ya'll are GREAT!

I literally just cleared the clog with Liquid Plum'r and was pouring hot water down the drain (it's clear now). I came back to DU and there are TONS of great ideas on both maintenance/prevention and repair.

I am going to take all of these very good suggestions to heart and figure this out step by step.

Thank you!

[Applan]

14. What's clogging it?

If it's getting clogged with hair then I've found a good way of getting it out is to use a tool I found on Amazon.
Search for Vastar drain clog.
The tool I use looks like a big orange cable tie and works really well.

[iemitsu]

15. Try baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

Works as well as liquid plumber and it is not poison.

[forgotmylogin]

19. Can also use regular white vinegar.

Basically you can maintain slow drains by making a volcano in there!

Pour some baking soda in the dry drain (won't work if you can't get the baking soda down there), follow with a cup of warm vinegar so it foams, give it 5 min, then follow with a (slowly poured) kettle of boiling water.

It won't work for major clogs or completely stopped drains, but is good maintenance to keep you from getting completely clogged if the drain is running slow.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

24. Hair clog remover

https://www.bing.com/shop?q=hair+clog+remover+pics&FORM=SHOPPA&originIGUID=4ACA27E2141C4151A7E3A165294477AF

liquid plumber, draino all that works on kitchen sinks and other areas but bath tubs and bathroom sinks more often than not get hair clogs and standard drain opener just don't move hair clogs down the pipes. you may need to do several treatments ,on the other hand two just might do ya, I used the zep product, that company developed it years ago. Try it and good luck, as a retired contractor I used the stuff in apartment buildings where such problems were common ,isn't that a wonder !