There are many ways to unblock unwanted waste from your sink or hand basin with items you already have in your home. Here are a few methods we recommend:

1. Hot water: Boil a kettle of water and incrementally pour the water into the plughole, taking breaks in between pouring. The boiling water will flush through the pipework and remove any blockages.
2. Pipe cleaning: Positioned underneath the sink or hand-basin, you will find the U-trap, which will need to be disassembled. Place a container underneath the U-shaped pipework to catch any excess spillage. If the U-trap has a slip nut at either end, remove these using your hands. Now, remove the U-trap along with the blockage, rinse the pipework and replace it. We recommend taking an image of the U-trap before disassembling as a reference during reconstruction if needed.
3. Baking Soda: Mix 200ml of table salt and 200ml of baking soda together and pour the mixture down the plughole. Leave this for fifteen minutes before pouring in boiling water to flush out and disperse of any blockages.
4. Plunging: Before plunging we recommend that you have some water at the bottom of your sink or basin before you begin. Place the plunger above the plughole, then push and pull the plunger to create a suction. After moving backwards and forwards repeatedly, the blockage will clear.
5. Hair clogs: To remove unwanted hair from your sink or basin, bend a wire coat hanger into a hook shape. This will need to be small enough to fit through your plughole. Push the hook through the plughole, ensuring to twist clockwise. This process will wind up the hair clogs which can be pulled out by hand. Repeat this process until your pipes are clear.
6. In-store products: In-store drain cleaners are another way to remove sink or basin blockages. Pour the correct and instructed amount (found on the back of the packaging) down the plughole and leave it to sit for several hours. Later, pour boiling water from your kettle into the plughole to flush away the blockage.

Hot Water

One of the best ways to unblock your sink waste is with hot water. Boil some water using a kettle then pour the water slowly down the plug hole in a couple of stages, pausing for a couple of seconds in between each pour. The hot water will make its way through the pipework, dispersing any blockages in its way. Generally, this can be one of the most effective ways to unblock a sink or hand basin. This can be achieved with items you already have in the home!

Pipe Cleaning

Another great way to unblock the pipework under your sink or hand basin is to disassemble the U-trap if you feel confident to do so. This is normally positioned underneath the sink or hand basin in a cupboard or cabinet. Taking apart the waste pipe is a fairly straightforward procedure, place an empty container beneath the U-shaped pipework underneath the sink or hand basin, the container will capture any water that will release during the disassemble of the pipework. Normally the U-trap is made of plastic with a slip nut at either end, these will loosen fairly easily just using your hands.  Now you can remove the U-trap, emptying any contents into the bucket. Any further pipework will come apart in the same way but we would recommend taking a photo before disassembling, just to help the reconstruction.  Rinse the pipework through and then put it all back in place.

Household goods and products that can help

Salt and baking soda can help with a blocked pipe, and this is something most of us have in our homes. To start find a mixing jug and put in 200ml of table salt and 200ml of baking soda mix the two together and pour it down the plughole in the sink or hand basin. Leave it for 15 minutes and then pour boiling water from a kettle down the sink or hand basin. A chemical reaction between the two products should help to disperse of any blockages you are struggling with.

 Plunging

A great way to unblock your sink or basin is by using a plunger. This technique is still widely used and normally very successful. One of the best ways to use the plunger is to have some water in the bottom of the basin or sink before you start, and then simply place the plunger over the plughole pushing down and gently pulling back up on the plunger trying to keep the suction always moving backwards and forward, this should help in getting the blockage to move and possibly clearing itself. 

Remove hair clogs by hand

I think we can all agree this is probably not the most pleasant thing to be doing but 80% of the time it wins the day. All you need is a wire coat hanger, once you have fond one just cut out a section of around 8 inches long then bend the bottom round into a hook shape. Please bear in mind the hook needs to be small enough to go through the plughole in your sink or hand basin, simply push the hook through the plughole twisting it clockwise. This will wind up the hair clogs around your new fishing tool so you can pull out the hair clogs. Repeat the process until there is no more hair to come out, this should solve the problem.       

In store chemical cleaners

Some of the in store drain cleaners can also be a great way to remove blockages, if this is something you are thinking of using then please always read the instructions on the packaging before using.  It’s a simple process, pour some of the product down your sink or basin and leaving it to work for a couple of hours. Then run some hot water down the sink or hand basin helping to disperse and flush away the blockage.

Checking the manhole 

One of the most important things to check is the manhole, 70% of the time it is the manhole that is blocked which is causing problems inside the house. If possible, have a competent person lift the cover from your manhole and inspect down the chamber, this could save you a lot of time.