Unblocking A Plug Hole - Best Way ????

[Gizmonster]

Well ..... the bathroom sink has been taking longer and longer to empty, so today I'm on a mission to unblock it.

I've tried a coat hanger bent with a hook on the end and I've also tried one of them gadgets that you can buy - a wire with a sticky bit on the end ... but they don't seem to be able to reach down far enough and unblock the blockage.

I've tried undoing the pipe at the back, but it's not very accessible as it seems like the waste pipe was put in first, then the pipes leading to the taps were fitted after, as they run very close to the waste pipe and I can't get a spanner in to loosen the fittings.

....... so I'm left with the option of pouring something down the plug hole, like caustic soda or something else.

Has anyone any suggestions as to what to use ????

[Canary42]

Use a plunger

[Gizmonster]

.... forgot to add - I've also tried a plunger ..... to no avail :(

[sandyRoe]

Have you tried a plunger?

[Gizmonster]

Lol - didn't see your answer Canary. As soon as I pressed "submit" I realised I hadn't put that I'd tried a plunger ...

[velkom]

Caustic soda is good with boiling water and my gran told me if you have dentures dissolve 3 tablets in boiling water and pour down!!?

[naomi24]

Mr Muscle Sink and Drain unblocker?

[rockyracoon]

Do you have one of those pop up waste plug thingy, they're crap for letting water away and it happens gradually. I had the bloody pipes off under the sink a while ago, nothing, no blockage so I took to pop up out completely and the water whooshed down the pipe.

[Canary42]

Pour a good dose of bleach down it, leave overnight, then flush out with several kettle-fuls of boiling water - this worked on my kitchen sink only yesterday.

Mind you if it's hair (being bathroom) I'm not so confident of this method.

[DJHawkes]

remove the white bit under the sink and clean it out, it will be blocked.

[ELVIS68]

Use a Wickes Drain Blaster, it's a pump plunger and shoots a jet of water and clears plug holes , only cost about a fiver.

If not undo the trap and clear all the gunk and hair which is probably the cause of it

[DJHawkes]

that's it, the trap, couldn;t think what to call it

[ELVIS68]

I was gonna say "Caught in a trap" lol

[DJHawkes]

can't walk out lol

[ukanonymous]

Have you tried pouring prune juice down it?

[Gizmonster]

....... also forgot to mention that I've cleaned the trap - but the blockage must be furher down as this didn't help.

It's a "normal" type plug hole - no fancy pop up plug or anything like that - just an old fashioned plug on a chain.

When I tried plunging it - all I got was water coming back up out of the hole above the plug hole, near the top of the sink (I'm sure this is the overflow ??)

[ukanonymous]

You need to cover the overflow while pumping.

[Mamyalynne]

Ah you need to cover the overflow whilst plunging or no result.

[Gizmonster]

D'oh ...... BRB lol .............

[Mamyalynne]

:-)

[ukanonymous]

But my mother always swears by prune juice. she says it could make the Hoover Dam start flowing freely.