How To Clean Bathroom Drain

Cleaning The Drain Regularly By Disposing Of Debris In The Drain Each Week

To avoid the buildup of dirt, pick up the pop-up stoppers or drain guards on the top of the drain and remove the debris that they have gathered.

Make sure to wash the stoppers and guard before putting them back. If your stopper is operated by a rod attached to the tap, simply remove the nut behind the drain and pull off the rod. Thus, you can pick up the stopper.

Unclog A Sink With A Plunger

A plunger is a useful household tool that you may already have around the house. Smaller plungers should be used for this method. Heres how to unclog a bathroom sink with a plunger:

• Remove the top of the sink hole cover or stopper. Most stoppers will come right out when you pull up and turn or unscrew the stopper to the left. Put the stopper somewhere safe.
• Add a little bit of water to the sink to cover the drain by about an inch. Avoid completely filling the basin.
• Center the plunger over the drain and apply force to create a strong seal. Pump the plunger up and down for about 15 seconds.
• Remove the plunger. In many cases, youll see that the water clears from your drain very quickly. You can also inspect the drain with a flashlight to see if a clog is visible.
• Test your drain. You may need to use the plunger again to clear stubborn clogs.

Using Vinegar And Baking Soda

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How To Clean Rust Around Bathroom Sink Drain

It can be quite annoying going through the trouble of cleaning the bathroom only to be left with unsightly rust stains lingering around the sink drain. Its relatively easy to clean rust around bathroom sink drain, and you only need one ingredient.

Bathroom Sink Drain Rust Cleaner

Put white vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray the rusty areas of the sink, and allow it to sit for about half an hour. Use a soft scrubber brush to scrub the rust away gently. Alternatively, you can pour some of the vinegar onto the drain and follow the same steps.

If Needed Clean The Drain By Applying A Non

The undesirable smell from the drain is the result of growing bacteria and compiled clog. Using the biodegradable non-rusting drain cleaner once a month can solve this problem. A good case of this is hydrogen peroxide, which can be directly poured into the pipe and kill the germs. It is important that bleach and antibacterial products should not be used to clean the drain as they could ruin the plumbing network.

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Yuck What Is That Black Stuff

What do you call that black stuff thats growing around your sink drain or faucet? Gunk, slime, sludge, a creature from the black lagoon, whatever you call it, it is a sign that there is a problem.. Actually, its kind of a disgusting problem.

Whatever you want to call it, something abnormal is going on in your sink drain, and it needs to be fixed. The black slime you are seeing might seem like a gross infestation of something, but the truth of the matter is, the black gunk is nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it happens in the cleanest of homes.

Black gunk happens!

The black gunk that accumulates in your sink drain is created by a buildup of bacteria living on hair, hand soaps, shaving cream, skin cells, lotion, toothpaste, and phlegm . The problem with this black gunk is it will not go away by itself. It isnt something you can just wash away by opening the faucet at full blast. That is because beneath the black gunk you see on the sink itself lurks a bigger problem besides just looking gross.

If you see black gunk on your sink stopper, it may already have clogged the drain beneath it. Which means by the time youve noticed the black gunk, you probably also noticed your sink isnt draining as quickly as it used to. Pooling water is not just an annoying convenience. Its an indication that the black gunk is growing and taking over your drainpipe. Think Night of the Living Dead kind of infestation.

Clear Any Standing Water

If your sink is full of backed-up water, bail out as much of the water as you can by using a cup and dumping the water into a bucket. It’s fine to leave a small amount of water down in the drain opening itself, but the sink, shower, or tub should be mostly empty so your drain cleaner can get as close as possible to the clog.

The Spruce / Lacey Johnson

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Slow Draining Bathroom Sink Use These 8 Tips

Why Does My Bathroom Take so Long to Drain?

A slow draining bathroom sink is a common occurrence in many homes and is not a sign of poor hygiene practices at all. The design of bathroom sinks makes them very susceptible to clogs.

A slow draining bathroom sink is caused by a partial clog due to accumulation of hair, soap scum and other bathroom products in the drainpipe and P-trap, restricting the flow of water. It could also be caused by a clogged vent or even sink overflow which creates negative air pressure in the drainpipe.

To fix a slow draining bathroom sink, remove the sink stopper and pull out the hair with a hair removal tool. Blast hot water down the sink drain to flush out everything else. If that doesnt work, remove and clean the sink P-trap. Plunging will help clear light clogs.

A slow draining bathroom sink that is not clogged is often caused by a blocked vent stack. Since air cannot flow out, pressure builds up in the drainpipe inhibiting the free flow of water from the sink. Sometimes it is as a result of a clogged drainpipe/sewer line or even a full septic tank.

A new bathroom sink that is draining slow is often caused by poor plumbing. Either the sink has no overflow or the P-trap is not installed the correct way. The high end of the trap should trap should be the one connected to the tail piece.

How To Clean Bathroom Sink Drain With Baking Soda And Vinegar

As seen in many elementary school science projects, vinegar and baking soda combine to form an expanding bubbly foam. This same reaction can also unclog a clogged drainpipe.

Following that, hot water is used for flushing any remaining residue from the pipes. It is not always necessary to use harsh chemicals tounclog a clogged drain line.

Hot water, vinegar, and baking soda work wonders in many circumstances. However, do not use a DIY drain cleanerimmediately before or after using a chemical-based cleaner, as this may result in a toxic reaction that produces harmful fumes. Also, before using another drain-cleaning solution, make sure the pipes are clear of any previous ones.

Boil a tea kettle full of water to make the foamy drain cleaner. Place about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl while its heating up. Then, combine 1 cup each of white vinegar and hot tap water in a separate container. Keep the mixture aside until the kettle boils. The ratio of baking soda to vinegar isnt exact if theres enough of both to make foam, the mixture will clean a drain.

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How To Prevent Bad Sink Drain Smells

Bacteria thrives in moist, dirty conditions, and it can build up in the bathroom sink drain. This bacteria is the leading cause of those stinky smells that rise out of the sink. Hydrogen peroxide is a non-corrosive liquid with anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties that kill bacteria, while baking soda absorbs and prevents odors.

• 1 cup hydrogen peroxide

To make this simple DIY sink deodorizer and cleaner, put all of the baking soda into the drain and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Pour in the hydrogen peroxide and watch as the drain begins to fizz.

The chemical reaction between the two lines the pipes with a foam that will kill that fungus related stench. Its also ideal to get rid of gnats in bathroom sink and drain. Rinse the sink with cold water from the faucet. Repeat this method once a month to eliminate bacteria growth and keep those nasty drain smells at bay.

Oohwhats That Black Gunk Im Seeing In The Sink

Whats that growing in your sink? Blackish sludge or slime or mold or gunk or whatever you want to call it isnt a good look. Not in a sink, not anywhere. But it doesnt reflect on your personal hygiene. The fact is, black gunk happens. And when it happens , were here to help. This blog covers:

• What that black gunk you see actually is
• How to get rid of the black gunk
• How to prevent the black stuff from gunking up anything again

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Make Use Of A Plunger

If youve got a huge blockage in the bathroom sink, you can unblock it using a plunger that is cup-shaped. Be sure to remove the stopper before you begin to plunge.

The drain should be filled with water if theres not any yet in the bowl. After that locate the plunger on the sinkhole and verify that there is a solid seal. To stop the plunged water from spilling out the overflow hole, probably you will need to cover the hole with a damp cloth.

Keep in mind that the purpose of a plunge is to move the congestion downstream. To get rid of the congestion, make quick, sharp plunges. It might take some attempts to remove the obstruction. Examine whether the water is beginning to drain between the plunges.

Cleaning A Bathroom Sink Drain

Of course, cleaning the bathroom is already part of your daily and weekly cleaning. However, the drains get less attention. Add the drains to your bathroom cleaning list to ensure that you take care of these important areas.

There are so many different bathroom cleaners, both commercial and homemade, that can be used for cleaning this popular area of the home. If you have a clog, there are even more remedies you can choose. However, before calling a plumber, we have a few solutions that may help you clean out that bathroom drain.

Our natural cleaning methods clean and deodorize the sink drain without using harsh chemicals. If your sink has a slow drain or doesnt drain at all, weve also included some tips for unclogging the bathroom sink.

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Use Baking Soda And Vinegar

Sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda powder into the clogged, dry sink. Let the powder seep inside. Pour 2 cups of hot water and wait for 5 minutes. Add another cup of baking soda and follow it up immediately with 1 cup of vinegar. Let the baking soda and vinegar react for 5 minutes.Now, pour 2 cups of hot water into the drain. This should clear the obstruction and allow for the free flow of water down the drain.

Combination Of Baking Soda And Vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar is a classic household cleaning combination. They are cheap, effective, and environmentally friendly.

Baking soda can clean up stains on your white clothes, deodorize your fridge, and reduce foot odor , meanwhile, vinegar is great for removing soap scum in your bathroom or stripping paint on furniture.

This combination acts as you would expect, baking soda acts as the abrasive, while the vinegar cuts through the stuck-on grime in your sink.

Prepare the baking soda, then sprinkle it over the sink drain. Heat one cup of vinegar in the microwave for two minutes .

Once the vinegar is hot, remove the vinegar from the microwave and pour the heated vinegar down the sink drain. This vinegar will cause an immediate reaction with the baking soda and clean your sink.

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Baking Soda And Vinegar

Both baking soda and vinegar are well known for their cleaning properties. The best thing is that they are both natural, and wonât harm the environment once they go down the drains. They are also very effective at solving a slow draining bathroom sink.

Begin by mixing one-third of baking soda with one-third of vinegar in a measuring cup. As soon as this happens, the mix will start to fizz. This reaction is what will destroy the blockage, so you need to pour it down the sink or drain immediately.

Once this happens, you should leave it sit for about an hour. Flush it out with warm water and see if that has improved the blockage. Repeat the process if the drain is partially unblocked and just needs a little more solution.

How To Use A Drain Snake

If the clog is a mass of soap scum-coated hair that just won’t move, you need a drain snake . The price for one of these tools can range from around $30 for a metal snake to just $10 for a three-count package of plastic drain snakes.

Using a drain snake is easy: Just remove the drain cover, then push the snake into the drain pipe. When you start to feel resistance, you’ve hit the clog. Don’t pull up the snake just yet. Keep rotating the snake so the clog will be caught for removal or broken up.

When you stop feeling resistance, slowly pull the snake from the drain and dispose of the clog. Finally, run the shower at full force for a few minutes to make sure everything is clear. Clean the drain cover with hot water and an all-purpose cleaner and replace it.

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Causes Of Black Sludge In Bathroom Sink Drain

The most prevalent cause of clogged bathroom sinks is hair. Its the ideal substance for blocking drains. When wet, hair gathers together. On their journey down, the clumps are caught by the pipe walls.

Hair will clump together more if the water in your drain exerts more pressure on it. Wet hair in your drain attracts additional damp hair until the unpleasant clump completely blocks water flow. Worse, that hairy mass gathers anything else that tries to go down the drain.

2. Collection of debris in P-trap

The bending section of the pipe underneath the sink is the p-trap. It joins the drain from the sink to the bigger drain pipe that leads to the sewer. P-traps bend to prevent sewage gas from floating back up the drain, which is poisonous and foul-smelling .

The p-bend also traps water, which aids in the creation of the suction required for a drain to clear. The problem is that that bent also attracts other objects. Clogs in the p-trap can be caused by small things such as rings, earrings, bits of soap, and even oil. For example, when water flushes down the drain, you may hear a peculiar stuttering noise if your p-trap clogs.

3. Soap scum

Soap scum is formed when soap ingredients combine with calcium and magnesium ions in the water. Its a chalky, filmy substance that adheres to pipe walls and accumulates over time. This substance, like hair, traps itself and other falling items, clogging the drain over time.

How To Fix A Smelly Bathroom Drain

We are going to discuss how you can fix your smelly bathroom sink drain according to the causes we already laid out above.

Before giving you detailed steps, here is a video showing you the overall process and where stinky smells might be hiding.

Note: We donât recommend pouring bleach into your sinks or drains. See this link for a similar drain brush as featured in the video, and also an enzyme-eating cleaning agent.

Now, here are some detailed steps for you to reference.

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Don’t Use Chemical Drain Cleaners

First thing first, Nelson does not recommend using any type of chemical drain cleaner on your pipes. If you have a clog, it’s better to try and remove it by plunging or snaking the drain.

“Chemical drain cleaners will only damage your pipes,” Nelson said.

According to ConsumerReports.org, most chemical drain cleaners are more trouble than they’re worth. Some react with aluminum and give off unhealthy gas, can solidify inside the pipes and can’t be removed, or mix with other household cleaners and cause the mixture to burst out of the drain. Crystal Chemical drain cleaners are extremely hazardous and can end up damaging your pipes, garbage disposal, and septic system. Liquid, foam and gel cleaners can also cause damage to pipes and usually aren’t as effective taking at least 30 minutes to eat through a clog.

And never rinse them down the sink, tub, or toilet.