Say goodbye to the hidden horrors lurking beneath your kitchen sink! In the battle against stubborn grease and grime, your kitchen sink drain pipes can be a massive issue.
Luckily, we can help. There are lots of ways you can get rid of drain odors and keep your pipes running smoothly.
Let’s go through how to clean the kitchen sink drain.
Use a Plunger
One effective method is to start with a plunger. Put your plunger over the kitchen drain and pump it up and down. This creates suction that can dislodge immediate blockages caused by grease and grime. The plunging action helps to break up the debris and allows it to move through the pipes more easily.
After using the plunger, reach into the drain with your hands (wearing rubber gloves). Remove any visible garbage, such as food particles or hair.
Dispose of this garbage in a trash bin to prevent it from causing further clogs in the future. This manual removal is a crucial step in ensuring a thorough cleaning of the drain pipes.
Consider Drain Cleaner Options
When dealing with stubborn grease and grime in kitchen sink drain pipes, another option to consider is using homemade drain cleaners.
One popular recipe involves the combination of baking soda and vinegar. By spilling a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar down the kitchen drain, you initiate a chemical reaction that helps break down grease and grime.
After letting the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes, flushing the drain with hot water helps wash away the loosened debris.
If you’re looking for a straightforward option, a DIY drain cleaner involving hot water and dish soap can be effective. Squirt a generous amount of your preferred dish soap down the drain and slowly pour boiling water afterwards.
For a more abrasive option, consider a mixture of salt and borax. Borax, a natural mineral, is a gentle abrasive that aids in scrubbing away residue, while salt adds an extra cleansing element. This mixture can be effective against various types of clogs when followed by a thorough hot water flush.
Another effective DIY drain cleaner includes a mixture of baking soda and salt. By combining half a cup of each and pouring the mixture down the drain, you create a powerful abrasive solution that can help scrub away accumulated residue.
The combination of baking soda and lemon juice creates a foaming action that helps clean and deodorize drains. The acidity of the lemon juice can assist in breaking down grease and other organic matter, while the baking soda enhances the cleaning power. After allowing the mixture to sit, flushing the drain with hot water completes the process.
If you’re unsure what drain cleaner to choose, professional plumbing services might be able to give you some advice.
Brush It Out
After removing any visible debris with a plunger or manual extraction, wire brushes or pipe cleaners offer a more direct means of addressing accumulated residue.
Inserting a wire brush or pipe cleaner into the drain allows you to physically scrub the interior walls of the pipes, dislodging stubborn grease and grime. The bristles of the brush can reach areas that may be difficult to access with other methods, providing a thorough cleaning.
Rotate the wire brush or pipe cleaner in a circular motion while navigating it through the pipes. This action helps break up the grease deposits and scrape away the clinging grime. It’s advisable to wear rubber gloves during this process to protect your hands from any residual debris.
Look at the visible parts of the pipes and the drain opening. An old toothbrush or scrub brush can be handy for scrubbing away any remaining grime in these areas, leaving your kitchen sink looking and functioning much cleaner.
Once you’ve manually brushed out the pipes, flush the kitchen drain with hot water to wash away the dislodged debris. Boiling water is particularly effective for this step as it aids in breaking down the grease further.
Get Professional Help
Sometimes, you just can’t clean out your pipes yourself. That’s when it’s time to get professional help.
A professional plumber can conduct a comprehensive assessment of the drainage system, identifying the specific nature and location of the blockage.
Their experience allows them to determine the most suitable method for cleaning the pipes, whether through specialized equipment or advanced techniques that may not be readily available to homeowners.
A plumber can offer insights into the overall health of your plumbing system, identifying potential concerns that could lead to future problems. By addressing underlying issues, they help prevent recurring clogs and maintain the longevity of your kitchen plumbing.
Plumbers have access to powerful drain cleaning tools, such as augers and hydro-jetting equipment, capable of breaking through tough grease and grime deposits.
To ensure you’re hiring a reputable professional, seek recommendations from friends, family, or online reviews. A licensed plumber will have the knowledge and experience to handle various plumbing challenges, offering peace of mind and a reliable solution to your grease and grime concerns.
Kitchen Sink Drain Maintenance
Once your sink drains are clean, you’ll want to keep them that way.
Avoid pouring grease or oil down the drain. Instead, collect cooking grease in a heat-resistant container and dispose of it in the trash once it solidifies. This practice prevents the gradual buildup of greasy residue in the pipes.
If you notice a slow drain, address the issue promptly rather than letting it worsen. Use a plunger or try the baking soda and vinegar treatment to prevent minor clogs from becoming more significant problems.
Consider using a hair and debris catcher over the drain to trap larger particles before they enter the pipes. This simple kitchen accessory can significantly reduce the amount of material that accumulates and contributes to clogs.
How to Clean a Kitchen Sink Drain: Start Today
There’s a lot that goes into how to clean a kitchen sink drain. Now that you know the basics, you’ll have a better-functioning kitchen in no time at all.
Are you looking for professional help in the St. Petersburg area? Home Team Plumbing has been helping customers like you for over a decade.
Give us a call today.
