how to clean bathroom sink drain trap

A piece of debris lodged between a drain washer and the drainpipe can cause a leak. Let the mixture sit in the drain for a few minutes. Don’t use bleach in your drain if you have a septic system. Then, treat your drain regularly to prevent foul odors and clogs from coming back. Buildup like hair and grease not only makes the plug smell, but it may turn into a smelly clog inside the drain pipe. Is there something else you are looking for? Driscoll received her Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2016. You may be able to do this by hand, but if your plumbing is older, it is likely you will need to use channel lock pliers or a wrench to loosen them. You may repeat this process a few times to loosen any further blockages. Combined with boiling water, these ingredients can clean out any lingering mess that may be plaguing your sink drain. Whichever cleaner you use, give it at least 10 minutes to work. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. Always check drain plugs, stoppers, or covers. Baking soda neutralizes odors, but it doesn’t break up clogs. Then, use it to pull out hair and other material in the drain. For particularly nasty odors, you may need to do another flush. Often, a bad drain smell is the result of clogged hair and gunk stuck in the p-trap of the plumbing, resulting in foul sink, bathroom drain, and shower smells. The bleach can kill the bacteria in your septic tank that breaks down your waste. If you are at all unsure of your abilities to complete one of these projects, please consult a professional. Remember to have your bucket handy! A pedestal sink has two parts: a basin bolted to the wall, and a pedestal that provides support while concealing the plumbing. Removing a sink trap releases whatever is caught inside. A clogged drain is a dirty drain. Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Let the concoction fizz. The first step is just to take the top of the pop-up stopper. Last Updated: September 27, 2020 Wipe it clean and treat it with vinegar or baking powder as needed. They often have smelly debris in them. To keep the drain clean, try to repeat this process at least once a month so bad odors don't build up. Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Step 1: First, locate the drain trap under your sink. The best rescue tactic is to remove the trap. If you find that a lot of hair goes down the drain in your household, you may consider purchasing a stainless steel. Pour 1 part distilled white vinegar and 1-part hot water down the drain, on top of the baking soda. Step 6: You can stuff a rag into the pipe coming from the wall to prevent any sewer gases from coming up into your home. This is typically a hole near the top and inside the front of a bathroom sink. Unscrew both nuts and pull the trap straight down to remove it. The trap is a curved section of pipe located beneath the kitchen and bathroom sink and is easy to clean as a home improvement project. It’s happened to almost everyone:. Bottle brushes are available at some home improvement and general stores. Plastic traps, especially, will crack if over tightened. To clean a smelly drain, start by sprinkling half a cup of baking soda down it, which will help get rid of unpleasant debris and bacteria. Clean drain plugs often, at least once a month, to prevent buildup. Chemicals used to remove hair clogs are often inefficient and often result in manually removing the clog anyway. Use your wrench or pliers to tighten a quarter turn more. If your drain has a garbage disposal, activate the blades for more cleaning power. The P-trap is usually visible underneath sinks. Be sure the tapered side of the collar faces the end of the pipe. If you have a metal or decorative finish on your trap, use a strap wrench to prevent scratching the finish. Put a pot of water on the stove or in the microwave and allow it to begin boiling. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. This article has been viewed 36,373 times. 4 Ways To Unclog A Slow Running Bathroom Sink Drain Wikihow. Consider putting a container under the bathroom sink drain to catch any water that spills as you remove the trap. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. How To Clean Bathroom Sink P Trap March 19, 2020 Lukman Foto 0 Unclog a sink shower or tub drain traps what are they cleaning how to unclog a kitchen sink the home dry p trap can cause sewer gas odors removing bathroom sink drain plug with The P-trap will be underneath the floor or inaccessible with other types of drain. To clean a smelly drain, start by sprinkling half a cup of baking soda down it, which will help get rid of unpleasant debris and bacteria. Be careful of two things: Do not cross thread and do not over tighten! Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. First, try using a plunger to clear your sink clog. Step 2: Place a bucket or dish pan under the trap to catch any water that might come out as the trap is being removed. Again, noting the order the parts are installed: the slip joint nut will go onto the tail piece or wall pipe, then the o-ring, then the threaded trap end. Straighten it out, adjusting the end into a hook that fits down the drain. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 36,373 times. Regular preventative maintenance is the best way to keep your bathroom sink drain clean, which begins with cleaning the bathroom countertop and sink. For the best results, heat the vinegar or lemon juice on the stove or in the microwave first. Unclogging a bathroom sink may not always require the costly services of a professional plumber or hazardous chemical drain cleaners. Create your own drain stick out of a wire hanger. Step 4: Once the slip joint nuts are loose, continue to untighten them by hand and remove the trap. Use the cleaning as an opportunity to inspect all the washers — they should be soft and supple. If you know how to remove the sink trap you’ll be able to retrieve valuables that disappear down the drain. In a just a few easy steps you can have your sink draining properly in no time. Vinegar also has antibacterial qualities. Then, flush the drain with water as hot as you can get it to wash the cleaner and any gunk out of the pipe. Not to mention how harmful they are. You can also try using ice to scour the blades and collect grease from your garbage disposal. 4. 2. This typically gets mold build up over time. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Take precautions when using hot water. Augurs are longer than plastic sticks and more effective at breaking up solid clogs. It is an integrated tube that leads to the main drain of the sink but is hidden. Catching a whiff of a stinky drain is unpleasant, but most drains can be cleaned without harsh chemicals. Please note the information provided here is intended to give a basic knowledge of plumbing related repairs. Make sure that all the parts are completely clean inside and out. You can also gently clean the tailpiece coming from the sink, and slightly into the pipe in the wall to remove any "gunk" that may be present. Run the faucet for about 30 se… … This information is general, and may not suit all applications. If the P-trap is dry, pour two cups of water down the drain and wait an hour. Unfortunately, there really is no substitute for manually removing a hair clog. In this process of the bathroom sink drain cleaning using the natural ingredients, follow some easy steps as below: Start by pouring half a gallon of boiling water through the drain. To avoid the risk of burns when heating water for a drain, wear long clothing and oven mitts. Then check to see if the water is still there. Or, you can use masking or duct tape on the inside of your pliers to prevent scratching the finish. Before you start, put on your gloves to protect your hands from any contaminated or decayed material that you might come in contact with during the process. Another option is to heat a pot of vinegar until it bubbles gently, then leave the drain plug in it for a few minutes. Step 9: Hand-tighten the slip joint nuts until tight. Always check with local code regulations and the proper authorities before beginning a project. After one hour, flush the drain with hot tap water. If you clean out your drain and still detect an unpleasant smell, consider calling a plumber. For greater effect, especially if you haven’t cleaned the drain in a while, leave the baking soda mixture in the drain as long as overnight. You don’t want s… Clear out the cabinet beneath your sink to make room. After you’ve checked all parts and removed any clogs, you can put the kitchen sink drain back together in reverse order. ... Clearing A Clogged Sink Drain Trap. Remove the water from heat before it boils. Step 5: With the trap removed, you will notice that in between the slip joint nut and trap there is an o-ring. This article was co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH. Another method would be to place a rag over the slip joint nuts before using the pliers or wrench, so that the tool does not come in contact with the metal finish. It's common for a household sink to get clogged up, and sometimes this means you will need to remove the trap under the sink to remove the debris. Pour some down the pipe, come back tomorrow, it will be like new. 3 ways to clean a bathroom sink drain how to remove a sink stopper mother lost in the bathroom sink bathtub drain with standing water how to clean a stinky sink drain home. For more tips from our Cleaning co-author, including how to deodorize your garbage disposal, read on! Rotate the auger in the drain to loosen the nasty gunk on the walls. Carry the water to the drain carefully and pour it in slowly. It washes away oil or food particles in your kitchen sink, for example, before they settle on the drain pipe. If the shower isn’t frequently used or perhaps it’s in a guest bathroom, pour four ounces of oil down the drain—any cooking oil you already have on hand should do. The classic way to handle this problem is with vinegar or lemon juice. I'm currently trying to remove the drain plug on a bathroom sink. March 20, ... How to clean a stinky sink drain home repair tutor importance of a properly installed p trap stinky laundry room bathroom check your traps star tribune install bifold doors new construction how to clean a p trap under sink traps what are they cleaning installation hansgrohe int. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda in the drain and follow this with 1/2 cup of vinegar, then cover the drain for about 10 minutes to confine the foam to the pipe. Try to treat the drain through another method or call a plumber to fix it. Make sure the baking soda goes down the drain and doesn’t end up all over the sink. This is where it can get messy as there is usually water in the bend of the "J". That way, you can remove and discard any deposits before they accumulate to the point they cause a blockage. Shower, tub, and bathroom sink drains can become clogged with hair, soap residue, toothpaste, or just about anything. Grains of coarse or kosher salt are much larger than grains of table salt, so they are more effective for clearing a drain. Here’s a step by step process: 1. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Removing debris from the sink drain every week will prevent the build-up of hair and scum. Remember to check the drain stopper as well. The best way to clean a bathroom sink drain and prevent a clog from happening is by performing regular maintenance. I found an easy way to clean the "overspill" part of a bathroom sink. If you untwist it counterclockwise, they normally do just same off and you can just take it off. The pieces you will most commonly see under your sink are: a tailpiece, slip joint nuts, a "J" shaped trap ("J" bend), a waste arm and a section of pipe coming from the wall. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/94\/Clean-a-Smelly-Drain-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Clean-a-Smelly-Drain-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/94\/Clean-a-Smelly-Drain-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid2209880-v4-728px-Clean-a-Smelly-Drain-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"