Clog Sink Of Bathroom: Learn About Top 4 Reasons Behind Your Clogged Sink

July 2, 2021
 | By 
Queen Plumbing Charlotte

The bathroom sinks are not like the other sink in your house. They are different and have unique reasons behind getting a clogged sink. Because except for soap and water, not many things go down the bathroom sink. There are fewer possibilities of food waste going down from the sink drain of your bathroom. So, even after all these, why does the bathroom sink get a clogged drain? Know the reasons behind your bathroom sink drain clogging through this article.

The Causes Behind a Clogged Sink Of A Bathroom

The bathroom sink clogs for very few specific reasons. There are a few reasons as we do not clean dishes on our bathroom sink. So, unlike a kitchen sink, very few clogging materials go down the sink drain of your bathroom. Here are some of the common reasons behind a clogged bathroom sink-

Hair Clumps

Human hair will go down through the bathroom drain pipes as people shower in the bathroom. So, one of the common reasons behind clogged bathroom sinks is hair. Hair clumps are strong material to prevent water from going down the drain. It will eventually block the drainage system and cause clogging.

Hair clumps stuck inside a basin

The pipes of the toilet sink grab the hair while going down the sink. These hair clumps inside the sink's pipe get more problematic with water flow. If the pressure of the water increases, the chunks get more struck inside the sink. Moreover, the clumps get more prominent when the sink gets wet.

The tendency of the damp hair to attract wet hair is why clusters inside the sink get stronger day by day. No matter what type of hair gets inside the sink, the hair clumps will attract every kind of hair, including animal hair. The situation worsens when the wet hair clumps attract other debris while the water runs through the sink.

Ways To Remove The Hair Clumps

More or less everyone has faced such kind situations where their bathroom sink gets clogged due to wet hair clumps. In such cases, you will usually not need a plumber's help to solve the problem. You can get rid of the hair clumps using a drain snake. A drain snake pulls out the hair clumps from the sink's pipe and helps clear the path for the water to run smoothly.

However, if you want a permanent solution to fix the problem, installing a drain straining device is best to unclog a sink. The bucket of this device prevents clogging materials like hair from going down the pipe and prevents clogged drains from becoming your problem. Also, you can use a small toilet plunger to pull off the hair from the sink drain. You have to plunge vigorously to pull out the trash inside the sink.

Woman using a plunger to unclog a bathroom sink

Also, garbage disposal under the toilet sink will prevent the hair or skin flakes from going down the sink pipe. Garbage disposal is a small bucket underneath the toilet or kitchen sink that traps the trash and stops them from clogging the drain.

Soap Foam

Using soap in a toilet is common as people bathe there and use soap to wash clothes. Whether shower soap or a detergent soap, it will create foam when mixed with water. Now you might think about how this soap foam makes a drain clog because one can wash this away with the help of water.

The answer is that the soap foam is not what we see with our bare eyes. Some chemical reaction occurs when the soap gets mixed with water. Magnesium ions and calcium in water form a chalky substance that gets stuck inside the pipe. Over time, these chalky substances build up inside the line and attract hair and other things that fall.

Soam scum can also build inside a kitchen sink as we use dish soap to wash the plates. So, when the soap foam or scum forms a sticky chalky substance inside the kitchen sink pipe, it attracts debris like coffee grounds, food particles, etc. It gets stuck on this chalky substance inside the line and stays there until you clean them.

Along with other debris, soap scum also attracts skin flakes and makes them stay inside the pipe for a long time. Whatever debris the soap scum attracts, they won't get off on their own until you remove them. There is a unique way to remove soap scum, and you won't need chemical drain cleaners to remove gross soap scum.

Ways To Remove Chalky Stuff Formed From Soap Foam

The kitchen or bathroom sink drains debris, but if the sink drain is not clean and has chalky substances, it will cause clogging. This chalky substance created from soap foam is gross and sticky, making the cleaning process harder.

Cleaning Clogged Drain With Plumber's Snake

With the help of a plumber's snake, you can quickly get rid of the soap scum inside the 'sink pipes of your bathroom or kitchen sink. A plumber's snake is a flexible drill that goes inside the pipes and pulls off all the sticky substances inside the pipes. It can remove all kinds of stubborn substances from the bathroom sink pipes.

You might wonder where to find a plumber's snake as it is stuff that plumbers use. Do not worry about that, as you can easily find one in a local hardware store in your area.

Cleaning Bathroom Sink By Applying Vinegar Method

The vinegar method is one of the hassle-free techniques to remove the soap scum. It is an easy technique and takes just a few minutes to complete the process of cleaning. You have to pour an equal portion and vinegar and water into a spray bottle.

If you do not have a spray bottle, you can use a bowl to mix the water and vinegar solution. After that, mix one tablespoon of dish soap or detergent with the solution. Then mix the solution and spray it on the soap scum of the clogged sink. Then let the mixture sit for 10-15minutes so that it gets some time to soften the soap scum.

After the solution gets sat, use a scrubber to scrub off the sticky soap scum of your sink drain. Then pour hot water to wash away the debris. You will get the best outcome if you pour boiling water directly into the sink.

Cleaning With Baking Soda And Vinegar Solution

You can clean your kitchen and toilet sink with baking soda and vinegar mixture. Just make a paste with one cup of baking soda and vinegar, then wait until the fizzing stops. Then apply the mixture to the sink by using a sponge.

After that, wait until the mixture sit. You have to wait for at least 10-15 minutes for that and once it is sat, use a soft sponge to scrub off the soap scum. Then rinse off the solution by pouring water on the sink.

The above methods will help clean the soap scum off your toilet or kitchen sink.

Damaged Pipes

Other than debris, a damaged pipe can clog the sink drain. The only reason behind the clogs created inside the line is rust. When a pipe oxidizes, rust is formed inside the pipe, obstructing water flow. The rust blocks the inner path of the pipe and stops the water flow.

Ways To Fix Clogging From Damaged Pipes

Usually, rust is formed inside a pipe when the pipe wears out. It is common to see rust in an old pipe. There is no way users can avoid pipe damage when it gets old. So, when you notice a clogged sink or a damaged pipe, the only solution is to change the line.

It is wise to install a new pipe when your old pipe is damaged. It is not possible to remove the rust formed inside the pipe. So, once the pipe gets damaged, it is wise to change it to unclog a sink.

Problem In The P-Trap

The P-trap is located underneath the sink and connects the sink drain with the main drain that leads to the sewer line. It is mainly the bending part of the drain pipe and prevents any toxic material from flowing. This has a bending design so that the sewer gases do not flow back and create a bad smell in your kitchen or washroom.

Sometimes a drain clog occurs if something gets stuck inside this p-trap because other things come along the water and flow through the p-trap. If you hear weird noises after the water flows through the pipe, you will understand that something is stuck in the p-trap.

Ways Of Cleaning A P-Trap

There are not many things to do to clean the p-trap. You can quickly unclog a sink by removing the stuck material inside the p-trap with a toothbrush. Gently scrub the trash from the sink using a brush.

Conclusion

It is not hard to solve the draining problem of your sink. By knowing some easy tricks, your can unclog a sink drain without a plumber's help. In some cases, you might need a plumber to fix the issues, but you can do the primary fixings by yourselves.

To hire the best local plumber to fix a clogged sink, you can always rely on the QUEEN CHARLOTTE PLUMBING company. Call us at 704-707-3339 for any emergency plumbing services. You can also visit us at 8242 Old Statesville Rd Charlotte, NC 28269.

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