Can you Unclog my Clog??? HELP!!!

[christa]

My kitchen sink is clogged!!! I don't want to call a plumber on a holiday weekend!

It's a 2 sided sink . . . the right side is draining perfectly, so far. The left side was standing this morning. I poured half a bottle of Draino gel into it (that's all we had) and so far, it's been almost 2 hours and hasn't gone anywhere!

WHAT DO I DO???

I even ran some hot water in with it a few minutes ago, thought maybe that would help it go down. Still not going anywhere.

The drain is made really wierd, so I can't really stick anything down in the drain to loosen up anything that may be clogging it up. It's really stressing me out!!!

Any ideas???

[Karen]

Can you get underneath the sink and unscrew the pipes to take it apart and clean it out manually? There probably a horizontal pipe between the two sinks, and that is what is clogged. Be sure to
a) wear long sleeves (some garment you don't care about) and rubber gloves - there's Draino in there which is caustic, its whole role in life is to eat through things, so you do not want it on your skin!
b) clean everything out underneath there and have a bucket poitioned for the water
c) open windows before you start so the room is well-ventilated ...

[christa]

Oh no . . . I was hoping that you weren't going to say anything like that . . .

[Lizzie]

I agree with Karen, it's the only thing you can do at this time if you can't snake it and dissolving it hasn't worked. You will need a plumbers wrench, I think, to handle the nuts on those pipes. Better get to it and plan a treat for yourself later, after you've had a shower. Sorry!

[Lady's Human]

Short of taking it apart, a plumber's snake is about $15-20 at the hardware store.

If you do take it apart, get some HEAVY rubber gloves, and have lots of water standing by, you really don't want drano on your skin.

[christa]

Well . . . after an hour or so of consulting with my dad on the phone, we decided to try the plunger. Don't worry guys, I bleached the sink afterwards.

Good news is, it worked with one plunge!

Yay!

Shew . . . this has really stressed me out today!!! I hate home repair problems!

[shais_mom]

bleach is actually better to run thru drains then Drano. It is safer then Drano b/c if you don't rinse the draino out well enough it will eat thru your drains and bleach won't.
My bathroom drain was clogged around Christmas time and I finally ended up using bleach and bought a new kind of plunger
http://www99.shopping.com/xGS-master...4~r-1~CLT-INTR and when I plunged it I heard it pop thru.
You can also buy a gun like think at Lowe's for about $30 that you pump air thru the drain. I bought both and I think the plunger is what worked in combination with the bleach.
Run a cup of bleach thru all your drains every once in awhile to keep it clear.
When I cleared mine after Christmas I called my dad singing "I did it - I did it!"


http://www.yourinspection.com/Drains.htm

[Lizzie]

Very glad to hear that the drain is now all clear and you didn't have to lie on your back under a sink (it really gives you a crick in the neck). I didn't realize you hadn't used a plunger first since I'd use it before pouring down chemicals. I use the soda bicarbonate that has been used to deodorize the fridge, shaking down half a box and then pouring in vinegar. It fizzes its way down the drain which is fun to watch. I don't know how truly effective it is but I can't remember the last time I had a blocked drain. I'm sure bleach is the most effective but I really dislike the smell.

[ashleycat]

There's also that new product it's like air in a can or something. And the air pushes the clog thru.

[christa]

Thanks for the ideas, guys! I will remember all this, I'm sure . . . but will definitely remember to plunge FIRST or try the bleach before drano . . . anyway, problem solved for now.

[Craftlady]

Pouring baking soda and then vinegar down the drain (baking soda first) than the liquid. Foaming action opens the clog. BTW, if you were to call Mr. Rotor or Roter Rooter they dont charge extra for holidays or weekends. I know from first hand experience

[sirrahbed]

Our plumbing troubles always seem to happen on weekends, too. I will keep some of these ideas in mind - especially the baking soda and vinegar. I bet that would be a good thing to use on a regular basis.

Glad your clog is gone, Christa

[caseysmom]

While reading this I was going to suggest a plunger, I now have one just for the kitchen. My dishwasher drainout gets plugged and water goes everywhere and I have found that plunging the sink fixes it, its all connected.

[christa]

While reading this I was going to suggest a plunger, I now have one just for the kitchen. My dishwasher drainout gets plugged and water goes everywhere and I have found that plunging the sink fixes it, its all connected.

Hmm . . . I never thought about my dishwasher ever being a problem! I've got a LOAD of appliances just waiting to go wrong! 2 basin sink, dishwasher, garbage disposal . . . and then my dad swears that something will eventually go wrong with the ice maker, LOL.

You all have to realize . . . we're NEW to this so . . . just bear with me, LOL . . . I have a home DISASTER question and who do I come to??? Pet Talk of course! Makes sense, right?