How to unclog a sink? Tips on how to unblock a bathroom sink

Your bathroom sink goes through a lot. Everyday hair, residue from beauty products and skin grease goes down your drain. Over time, this can cause your sink to become clogged. There are a few ways you can stop this from happening. Read below to find out about how you can unclog your bathroom sink, as well as prevent blockages from happening.

Causes of a clogged bathroom sink

If your sink is clogged in your bathroom, hair is likely the main culprit. Hair can get into your drains whenever you shave, wash your face or hair, as well as brush and dry your hair. As well as hair, residues from toiletries and skin grease also cause your bathroom sink to clog.

If your bathroom sink is not draining or taking a while to drain, this could be a sign that your sink is blocked. Other signs of a blocked sink include smelly drains. HG drain and plug unblocker can also be used to unclog a bathroom sink with standing water.

3 tips to prevent your sink getting clogged

It’s difficult to prevent your sink from clogging up at all. However, there are a few things you can try to reduce how often your bathroom sink clogs up

1. Remove hair immediately.
2. Clean your sink after use.
3. Clean your sink weekly with a bathroom cleaning product, like HG bathroom cleaner shine restorer.

HG drain and plug unblocker: remove blockages effectively

unclog a sinkThe easy way to unclog a sink is with HG drain and plug unblocker. This product can easily and effectively unclog your bathroom sink, without affecting plastic pipes. It is ready for use, and does not foam or splash when it is poured down the drain.

It cannot make the blockage worse, unlike powder or granule products. You’ll see results in just 30 minutes.

This is how you use HG drain and plug unblocker if you have a minor blockage:

1. Pour 500 ml of HG liquid unblocker down the blocked drain.
2. Leave the unblocker to work for approximately 30 minutes.
3. Rinse well with cold water.

If you have a more persistent blockage, you can try the below:

1. Fill the sink with warm water.
2. Add 500 ml HG drain and plug unblocker to the standing water.
3. Leave overnight.

In addition to the 1 litre version, we also have a HG drain and plug unblocker 500 ml version. You can also see our HG drain and plug unblocker gel that doesn’t splash at all, keeping your bathroom walls and floor clean. If your bathroom sink is extremely blocked, you should try HG duo unblocker.

5 DIY tips for how to unclog a bathroom sink

As well as HG drain and plug unblocker, there are a few DIY tips you can try to unclog your bathroom sink, however these aren’t always so effective.

1. Clothes hangerHow to unclog a sink

Using a wire clothes hanger, push this through the drain until you feel the blockage. Pull the wire up in a rotating motion to remove hair and soap residues. Once this is removed, throw it away rather than rinsing it down the drain, as this can cause it to block again.

2. Plunger

Fill the sink with a low layer of water. Place the plunger over the plughole with the plug on, then move the plunger up and down a few times without the plunger coming off the plughole. This can create suction to release the blockage.

3. Clean the trap

To unclog a sink without a plunger,put a tray or bucket under the trap. Then loosen it with a wrench. Clean any hair or build-up out of the trap and the drain. Put the trap back on by hand, run the tap slightly and check for leaks. If there are no leaks, then tighten the trap with the wrench.

4. Drain cleaning coil

Uncoil the drain cleaning coil and remove all the kinks and folds. Push the end of the coil down the drain. Once you can feel the blockage, rotate the coil then push and pull to loosen the blockage. Once the blockage is clear, you can pull the flexible cleaning coil carefully out of the drain.

5. DIY unblocker 

Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain and wait for five minutes. Then, pour a cup of vinegar down the drain. Leave this mixture to work for two hours. Next, boil some water and leave it to cool a little, then pour it down the drain to try and release the clogged sink.

If you tried any of these DIY solutions and they didn’t work, you should try a specially formulated product, like HG drain and plug unblocker. You can also see our guide on how to unblock a kitchen sink.

Frequently Asked Questions about how to unclog a sink

What causes a clogged bathroom sink?

In the bathroom, hair is the number one cause of a blocked sink. Shaving, washing, brushing and drying your hair can all cause hair to build-up in your bathroom sink. Hair, soap residues, and skin grease can also clog the drain.

Which HG product do I use to unclog my sink?

HG drain and plug unblocker can effectively remove blockages from your bathroom sink, without affecting plastic pipes. It is ready for use and does not foam or splash when it is poured down the drain. Unlike powder or granule products, this product cannot make the blockage worse.

How do I unclog my blocked sink?

There are a few ways you can unclog your bathroom sink:

  • With wire.
  • With a plunger.
  • With a drain cleaning coil.
  • Unclog your drain with baking soda and vinegar.
  • With a specially formulated product like HG drain and plug unblocker.

How do I prevent a clogged sink?

There are a number of things you can do to prevent a clogged sink: 

1. Remove hair immediately.
2. Clean your sink after use.
3. Clean your sink weekly with HG bathroom cleaner shine restorer

How do I get hair out of the drain?

There are a few ways you can remove hair from the drain. You can use a home remedy like baking soda and vinegar or even pull them out with tweezers or an old hanger. However, the most effective way is to use a specially formulated product like HG drain and plug unblocker.



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HG drain and plug unblocker (1L)

HG drain and plug unblocker (1L)

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