Most sink, bathroom and shower clogs can be cleared at home with hot water, a plunger or by cleaning the trap — no chemicals needed. The trick is to work in order, from gentlest to strongest. Here are the methods that actually work, the ones worth avoiding, and how to keep it from happening again.
Methods, from gentlest to strongest
- Hot water + dish soap: for grease clogs. Pour very hot water (not boiling if your pipes are PVC) with a squirt of dish soap and let it sit a few minutes.
- Baking soda and vinegar: pour in half a cup of baking soda, then vinegar, wait 15–30 minutes and flush with hot water. Good for maintenance and mild clogs; not for a solid blockage.
- Plunger (cup plunger): fill the basin so water covers the cup, block the overflow with a rag, and plunge firmly several times.
- Clean the trap (P-trap): put a bucket underneath, unscrew the trap and pull out the built-up hair and grease. This is 80% of sink and bathroom clogs.
- Drain snake or auger: for deeper blockages, feed a plumber’s snake in while turning; in the shower, a barbed plastic strip pulls hair right out.
- Wet/dry vacuum: on the liquid setting it can suck the clog back out of the drain.
Tricks that make the difference
- Always block the overflow when plunging: otherwise you lose all the pressure.
- A little petroleum jelly on the plunger rim improves the seal and suction.
- For hair, the barbed plastic strip beats any chemical (and costs less).
- Start at the trap on sinks and basins: it’s usually the fastest, cleanest fix.
- Hot water for grease, but if your pipes are PVC use hot tap water, not boiling.
What to avoid
- Chemical drain cleaners (lye/caustic): they damage pipes and seals, are dangerous, and if the blockage is total they just sit on top and do nothing. Keep them as a last resort, or skip them.
- Mixing chemical products: it can create toxic fumes.
- Plunging after pouring in chemicals: risk of caustic splashback.
How to prevent clogs
- Fit a strainer or hair catcher over the drain.
- Never pour oil or grease down the sink — it hardens in the pipe.
- Run hot water for a few seconds after using the sink.
- Maintenance: once a week, baking soda + hot water.
When to call a pro
If several drains back up at once, dirty water rises somewhere else, or you smell sewage, the problem is in the main line or stack, not your trap — that’s when a plumber is worth it.
Frequently asked questions
Does baking soda and vinegar work?
For mild clogs and maintenance, yes; for a solid blockage, it won’t be enough.
Can I use a chemical drain cleaner?
Better to avoid it: it damages pipes, is dangerous, and doesn’t work if the clog is total. Try a plunger and the trap first.
How do I unclog a shower drain?
It’s almost always hair: remove the grate and pull the clog out with a barbed plastic strip or a snake.
Water drains but it smells — why?
Usually a dirty or dry trap (no water to seal it). Clean it and run water to refill it.