The bathroom vanity serves as the grooming hub and the sink sometimes suffers because of it. Errant hair, shaved whiskers, excess toothpaste, soap scum and foreign objects gather in the P-trap causing the bathroom sink to drain slowly before it ultimately clogs beyond use. Instead of calling a plumber, I have a few tricks for unclogging the drain myself.
When I know there is a major clog, such as a razor cover or toothpaste cap, I go straight to the source. This task seems like dirty work, but it is very simple and works well for severe clogs or removing foreign objects from the drain. Thanks to plenty of preparation and relying on tools, my nails stay in good shape. Best of all, I save time and money usually spent dealing with a plumber.
I have sinks with traditional and PVC pipe, so both are briefly covered here.
Tools:
*channel lock pliers
*dish pan or bucket
*old towels
*wooden chopsticks
*rags
*bottle brush
*Teflon tape (optional)
The P-trap plays an important role because holds a small amount of water and helps prevent sewer gases from seeping into the home. (This quick fix takes a few minutes, so I can safely return the P-trap without worry.) It is also good at catching any foreign objects that go down the drain.
I place a dishpan under the pipes and surround it with a couple of towels. The P-trap is easy to spot amongst the sink’s straight pipes, but it actually looks more like a u. There are two couplings, one at the top and at the bottom, holding the pipe in place. The plastic rings usually unscrew by hand. For metal rings, I use channel lock pliers cushioned with a rag so they do not chip the metal.
Once they are loose, the contents of the sink quickly pour into the dishpan. I keep an extra towel handy in case of splatters, but it usually is not a problem.
If I suspect the P-trap contains something worth retrieving, such as jewelry, I use chopsticks to scrape the contents on to a thick layer of newspaper so I can look through it. While looking for treasure, I usually find trash like a lost water balloon or rusty earring back. The gunky paper goes into trash where there is no risk of clogs.
Some books recommend using hot water and soap to wash the P-trap in another sink, I prefer to take the P-trap outside and use the water hose. For my hands off cleaning, I place the pipe on a patio paver, stand back and spray it with the water hose. This flushes away most of the grime. The slick surface of PVC pipes comes clean rather easily, but dirt clings to metal pipes. I use a rag or old bottle brush to clean the insides. The sludge usually resembles wet cement and looks menacing, but wipes away rather easily.
The P-trap is in good shape, so I take it back to bathroom sink. The protruding pipes have sharp edges, so I usually avoid them. However, if they look especially gunky, I carefully give them a quick swipe with a chopstick. This is enough to loosen the residue so the sink can to do its job.
When working with metal pipes, I cover the threaded portions of the pipe with a small piece of Teflon tape and reattach them. The PVC pipes do not require the tape. I run the sink for about five minutes so the loosened residue washes away. I watch the reconnected pipes for leaks. It is good to go, but I leave an empty dishpan under the pipes and check it over the next few days in case there is a tiny leak I missed.