Clogged drains are a fact of life, but they are usually easy to address and prevent in the future. Clogged drains are caused by food. Over time, all of the scraped plates and thick liquids poured down the drain or garbage disposal will accumulate and form a clog. It’s time to unclog your sink when the water takes a long time to drain, there is a strange odor that you can’t track down, or the sink is filled with debris, and running the garbage disposal has no effect.

Easy Ways to Unclog your kitchen sink

1. Do it by hand. First, you can always remove the clog by hand. If possible, it’s best to get a good look inside the drain with a flashlight because sometimes the clog is immediately visible and easily accessible. If you clean the drain by hand, make sure that you turn off the disposal and put on gloves before you proceed.
2. Use a plunger. If you have a double sink, you can use a plunger to remove the clog. First, you need to plug the sink that is not clogged and then plunge the other side. You should make 5 to 6 up-and-down thrusts while keeping the seal intact. After these thrusts, if the water drains away, you have cleared the clog.
3. Try boiling water. Another method to clear a clogged drain is to try boiling water. Sometimes a clogged kitchen sink can be solved with one or two good rushes of very hot water. All you have to do is carefully pour hot water down the drain to loosen or break up the clog. After you test the drain, you can repeat this process as often as necessary.
4. Use a (natural) drain cleaner. Finally, you can also use a natural drain cleaner. Chemical drain cleaners are not as effective as they claim to be and have harsh chemicals that aren’t ideal for use near your food or family. A natural remedy of vinegar and baking soda can work just as well. First, pour a cup of baking soda into the drain and white vinegar down the drain. Wait for an hour, and then rinse it with boiling water. This can be repeated as many times as necessary.

Clogged drains are no fun to deal with, but they are a fact of life. The best way to get rid of a clog is to never have one, but if you end up with one, these four tips can help you get rid of it.