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Kitchen sink

How to unclog a kitchen sink

Grease cools and sticks; food scraps pack in behind it. Hot water and dish soap loosen grease. Never pour grease down the drain to “clear” it.

Stop if Both basins (or the dishwasher) are backing up with dirty water, or you smell sewage. That often means a deeper line problem — call a plumber instead of forcing it.

Grease clog — start here

Grease deep dive: clear a greasy kitchen sink drain.

  1. Bail standing water Scoop water into a bucket so you can work. If you have a double sink, plug the empty side so plunging pressure goes into the drain.
  2. Dish soap + hot water Squirt a good amount of dish soap into the drain. Slowly pour a kettle or pot of hot tap water (not a rolling boil if you have PVC — very hot is enough). Wait 5–10 minutes.
  3. Plunge Use a cup (sink) plunger. Cover the drain, keep water over the cup, and plunge firmly 10–15 times. On a double sink, have someone hold a wet rag over the other drain, or plug it.
  4. Flush again Run hot water. If it drains, follow with another minute of hot water and a little soap to rinse grease farther down.
Tip Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel into the trash before washing. A $2 mesh strainer in the sink catches scraps that start clogs.

If you have a garbage disposal

  1. Never put your hand in Turn the disposal off and unplug it or switch off the breaker before inspecting.
  2. Reset & free a jam Press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit. Use the hex key (often in a pouch on the unit) in the bottom center socket to rock the impeller free. Then restore power and run cold water while briefly testing.
  3. Don’t use chemical cleaners in a disposal They can damage seals and splash. Stick to plunging, snaking the drain past the disposal only if you know what you’re doing, or calling a pro.

Still clogged

  1. Plastic snake Feed a plastic drain snake into the drain (not down a disposal grind chamber). Twist and pull debris.
  2. Clean the P-trap Bucket underneath, loosen slip nuts, empty the trap. Grease and sludge often live here. Reassemble with washers seated correctly.
  3. Skip harsh chemical openers as a first move Caustic cleaners can sit in a full clog and damage pipes or fixtures. Mechanical clearing is safer for most home kitchen clogs.
Safety Don’t pour boiling water into a disposal full of grease and standing water — it can splash. Don’t mix cleaners.