Clean sink drain: Effective home remedies and other tips

Content: In everyday life, the drain of the sink has to cope with great challenges. After all, not only water is washed down in it, but in addition, a whole lot of soap, hair and other cosmetic residues. This often leads to the formation of deposits that are particularly stubborn in the siphon. In many cosmetics that come into contact with the sink drain every day, there are fats and proteins that stick to the walls of the pipes. There they hold further coarse dirt, which over time clogs the pipe. A clogged drain at the sink then causes unpleasant odors to form and water to flow away extremely slowly or not at all. To prevent this scenario, there are some measures that can be taken to prevent it. If it is already too late for these, simple home remedies can help effectively in many cases. .

Prevent clogged drain

. In general, food scraps should never be disposed of in the sink, and this also applies to small items such as crumbs. These always belong in the trash can. A strainer in the drain helps to prevent that - if such coarse particles do get into the sink - they disappear into the depths of the pipes. Effectively, a drain strainer also keeps hair out, which can prevent clogging of the pipe. Drain strainers are available in both plastic and metal in various designs and diameters. They are easily attached to the top of the drain valve. Their cleaning then succeeds exceedingly uncomplicated. If it is a sink drain, which is equipped with a plug or a mushroom, they usually have integrated retention devices for coarse dirt. However, it is important to clean them at regular intervals. A drain that is protected in this way usually only clogs after an extremely long time - if ever. However, it is almost impossible to avoid the formation of light deposits on the inside of the pipes from dissolved dirt. The first sign that the drain is in danger of clogging is bad odors escaping from the drain. However, this does not mean that the sink must immediately be tackled with expensive chemical cleaners. Such harsh cleaners cause a great deal of pollution to the environment. They can only be collected in sewage treatment plants with great effort and, in addition, they also attack the skin. In addition, the vapors that spread during cleaning can irritate the respiratory tract and the eyes. Moreover, pipe cleaners that are not used properly can add to the problem. Gentle home remedies are therefore perfectly sufficient to prevent impending blockages, provided they are applied early enough. Home remedies save both the wallet and the environment.

Hot water and dishwashing liquid

. When used regularly, this simple home remedy works exceptionally well to eliminate odors and reliably dissolve deposits in the sink's pipe. All that is required is to pour a little dishwashing liquid down the drain with a cup of boiling hot water. This is followed by an exposure time of around ten minutes. The drain is then reliably cleaned by rinsing with clean water.

Vinegar and soda

. If the sink drain is already affected by more severe blockages, the described treatment with detergent is in some cases no longer sufficient. The drain is then freed by using another home remedy, namely baking soda. The sodium bicarbonate is mixed with vinegar or vinegar essence. As a result, a strong reaction is triggered in the drain, during which carbon dioxide develops. The expansion of the gas loosens the dirt. The reaction products are completely non-toxic. Baking soda is readily available in drugstores or supermarkets. In addition, baking soda consists largely of sodium bicarbonate. To use this home remedy, five tablespoons of baking soda powder and half a cup of vinegar essence are added to the sink drain. To achieve the best effect, overflow and the drain itself should be tightly closed with a cloth and the appropriate plug. Once no more rushing can be detected in the pipe after a few minutes, it is time to carefully rinse with hot water. This procedure can be repeated if necessary.

Drain cleaning with plunger

. The classic plunger is a suction bell that consists of a wooden handle and a rubber. It can be used either just for itself or before or after the application of the described home remedies. Its function is purely mechanical. With the plunger great pressure is released, so when using it is important to close the overflow of the sink with a rag or a sponge as airtight as possible. Once this is done, the rubber plunger is placed on the drain and pressed down. It is important that the drain is completely covered by the suction cup. The next step is to run warm water into the sink until the water completely encloses the bell. However, if the basin is already filled with dirty water, this step is not necessary. Now the plunger is lifted briefly until the water in the pipe has been drawn in, followed by rapid up and down movements of the suction bell. The pumping movements create a strong negative and positive pressure one after the other. The water is thus pushed back and forth in the pipe, loosening the dirt from the walls of the pipes. If the water flows slowly in the pipe as a result of the pumping, the effect of the pumping is also reduced. The plunger then just needs to be lifted a little and let a little water flow from the sink into the pipe. Thus, pumping continues until the pipe of the drain is completely free again. Subsequently, the home remedies soda or dishwashing detergent can still be applied to make the cleaning optimal.

Stubborn clogs: The spiral

If even the upper and lower pressure of the suction bell can no longer do anything, it may be advisable to use a spiral. Variants of the pipe spiral, which are designed for private use, consist of a flexible, thin metal shaft, which is about one to two meters long. At one end there is a brush or drill head, and at the other a hand crank. The spiral must be passed through the drain into the pipe until the blockage is felt. Then it is time to turn the crank, moving the pipe spiral forward and backward. The head will bore through the debris due to the mechanical action, thus removing the existing blockage. However, this procedure can be extremely tedious and sweaty. However, it is the last solution before the siphon has to be unscrewed.

Removal of the siphon

. The siphon is the curved section of the drain pipe, which is located under the sink. At its deepest point, there is often a buildup of solids. These can be removed quite easily when the siphon is disassembled. However, the siphon acts as an important odor barrier. Therefore, very unpleasant odors must be expected when it is removed. The first step is to place a tub or bucket under the siphon, as it always accumulates a certain amount of water. Then loosen the knurled nuts by which the siphon is held together. At its upper end, the siphon is attached to a straight pipe, which comes out of the sink, and on the wall it is fixed to another pipe. The siphon is then pulled out of its counterparts by careful jerking and twisting movements. Once the removal is successful, it should be carefully cleaned with a bottle brush or a wire brush. It is also advisable to take a look inside the pipe leading to the wall. There, the drain could also be narrowed or blocked by a foreign body. If the siphon is already very old and encrusted, cleaning is not always possible. Replacement of the siphon is then the appropriate solution. Modern siphon models have particularly smooth walls, which make it difficult for dirt to accumulate.   Graphic: Semevent/pixabay