A slow bathroom sink
Most slow bathroom sinks clog at the pop-up stopper or in the trap.
Updated · 3 min read
If you read one thing
Pull the pop-up stopper and clean the hair and gunk off it, then clean the P-trap. If water still drains slowly, the clog is in the drain arm or wall line and needs a small cable.
The pop-up stopper
Under the sink, a horizontal rod connects to the stopper. Loosen its nut, pull the rod, and the stopper lifts out.
Hair, toothpaste and soap wrap around it. Cleaning it often fixes the problem completely.
The P-trap
The U-shaped trap holds water to block sewer gas. Hair and soap settle in its lowest point.
Put a bucket underneath, loosen the slip nuts, and clean it. Check the washers before reassembly.
Past the trap
If the trap is clean and the sink is still slow, the clog is in the drain arm going into the wall. A small hand cable reaches it.
Old drain pipes
In houses built before 1980, which is about 77 percent of Alhambra per the city's housing needs report, sink drain arms may be galvanized. Rusted ones narrow over time and keep clogging.
Replacing a short galvanized arm with plastic or brass stops the repeat clogs.
Alhambra homeowner questions
Should I use a chemical drain opener?
It can damage old pipes and makes trap removal hazardous. Mechanical cleaning is safer.
Why does my sink smell?
A dry trap, a clog holding gunk, or a bad vent can all cause odors.
Can I use a plastic drain snake tool?
Yes. Barbed plastic strips pull hair from the stopper area and are worth keeping on hand.