There is nothing worse than a blocked sink but it is usually easy to tackle without the need of a plumber.
A blocked sink can be very inconvenient so it is helpful if you know how to go about unblocking it yourself. There are various ways to unblock a sink, depending on how bad the blockage is but you don’t need fancy tools or any special plumbing skills.
The quickest and easiest way to tackle this is with a Plunger. Place the cup of the plunger over the plughole making sure it is sealed all the way round. Continuously drive the handle down and then up in a pumping action. Plunging sucks air out of the pipe and then forces it back in, which helps to dislodge the blockage.
Sometimes a plunger just isn’t enough because the blockage is so thick and greasy that it just can’t dislodge it. In this case you might need something to break it down. There are several drain unblocking products on the supermarket shelves which will often get the job done. Bear in mind these can be quite harsh on your system. However, they are often proven to work and so handy to have on hand if necessary.
A more friendly solution is combination of baking soda and vinegar. Pour a load of baking powder down your plughole followed by the vinegar. Don’t panic when you get some frothing coming back up the plughole, this is a chemical reaction that aims to break down the blockage. Once this subsides pour boiling hot water down the plughole.
Alternatively you can try bleach. It’s not that great at breaking down hair in your bathroom sink but it will work through the grease around it. Pour the bleach in and leave for as long as possible before blasting it with hot water. Try this option and then plunge again to dislodge any last bits of gunge.
If the sink is still not clearing properly then the final option before making that call is to check out the u-bend. This is the first bend in the pipework, right under the plughole. It will have two threads, one either side which will need to be unscrewed. Firstly, place a bucket under this area and then carefully unscrew both threads, allowing for some water to need to drain out. Take the U-bend and using either a wire coat hanger or dishcloth clean it out.
Be careful when you put it all back together that you have secured the U-bend back in place to avoid any leakages.
If all of the above has failed then it is time to call the plumber!