slow draining sink

[sparkie1984]

Hi all,

the sink in my bathroom has started draining the water away very slowly. It can take up to 5 odd minutes to drain a sink full of water away.

it never used to be like this and all other sinks/toilets and bath drain away perfectly.

Could it be just a build up of stuff in the u bend (or whatever its called)

can I buy something to wash down there? or should i try taking it apart?

anything to watch out for if i take it apart? presumably the weight of the basin is resting on the pedestal so if i moved that things could get messy?

thanks for any ideas

 

[=adrian=]

Very easy to fix.

Buy this

Mr Muscle Sink And Plug Drain Gel 500Ml - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

and pour the whole bottle into, leave for few hours (overnight if it is really bad) and job done.

I used it many times already and worked perfectly every time.

 

[paulyoung666]

Stay away from the chemicals and buy a plunger fiirst .......

 

[Sly]

You can get some stuff to put down it that's clears build up. Should be cheap from somewhere like wilco's. Would try that first.

 

[sparkie1984]

Stay away from the chemicals and buy a plunger fiirst .......

Will that work on a sink that has a lever by the taps to move the plug up or down?

 

[njdbaxter]

plungers are crap.

happens to mine, i just clean the bath and run a lot of hot water and bleach through it, has always sorted it

 

[Deleted member 221953]

Put thick bleach down and leave for an hour or so then rinse with hot water

Martin

 

[Begonia]

Could it be just a build up of stuff in the u bend (or whatever its called)

Yup.

A Plunger is definitely what you need. Chemicals 'might' just be a waste of time if there is a 'mechanical obstruction' (eg, fish bone, onion skin(s), grit, Lego (got any kids?), asparagus, broad bean).

Fill the sink with water, have the plunger ready, release the sink plug and start plunging!

"Yurghhhhh! That's why it was blocked. No wonder!"

 

[sparkie1984]

Yup.

A Plunger is definitely what you need. Chemicals 'might' just be a waste of time if there is a 'mechanical obstruction' (eg, fish bone, onion skin(s), grit, Lego (got any kids?), asparagus, broad bean).

Fill the sink with water, have the plunger ready, release the sink plug and start plunging!

"Yurghhhhh! That's why it was blocked. No wonder!"

Ha ha thanks mate, no kids and certainly no asparagus in my bathroom

 

[RBZ5416]

If you wet shave or rinse an electric in the sink then I'd suspect a build up of soap & stubble. A plunger should do it but if you can't use one due to the fixed plug, then I'd just open the trap & clear it from there.

Anything to watch out for? Yes, don't clean the trap in the same sink!

 

[sparkie1984]

If you wet shave or rinse an electric in the sink then I'd suspect a build up of soap & stubble. A plunger should do it but if you can't use one due to the fixed plug, then I'd just open the trap & clear it from there.

Anything to watch out for? Yes, don't clean the trap in the same sink!

Ah that's probably it!! The mrs shaving her moustache every day

 

[paulyoung666]

plungers are crap.

happens to mine, i just clean the bath and run a lot of hot water and bleach through it, has always sorted it

silverline MS138 - Google Search works a treat for me , saved me taking a ceiling down to get at shower tray waste

 

[Phil57]

This is the tool to use, far better than a plunger.
Silverline MS138 Wastepipe Blast Un-Blocker: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

 

[FZR400RRSP]

Very easy to fix.

Buy this

Mr Muscle Sink And Plug Drain Gel 500Ml - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

and pour the whole bottle into, leave for few hours (overnight if it is really bad) and job done.

I used it many times already and worked perfectly every time.

Seconded

 

[paulyoung666]

This is the tool to use, far better than a plunger.
Silverline MS138 Wastepipe Blast Un-Blocker: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

same as i linked to , plunger was not the best choice of word i could have used ....

 

[walleee]

Since my mum has just thrown out the plunger and one of those 'blast un blocker' things in the last week because they didn't fix a bathroom sink with exactley the same problem, I will third the Mr Muscle suggestion. (because it didfix it)

 

[paulyoung666]

Since my mum has just thrown out the plunger and one of those 'blast un blocker' things in the last week because they didn't fix a bathroom sink with exactley the same problem, I will third the Mr Muscle suggestion. (because it didfix it)

Did she know how to use them though ......

 

[NorvernRob]

If you wet shave or rinse an electric in the sink then I'd suspect a build up of soap & stubble. A plunger should do it but if you can't use one due to the fixed plug, then I'd just open the trap & clear it from there.

Anything to watch out for? Yes, don't clean the trap in the same sink!

Guilty of that as well. Took off the U bend, put it in the sink and turned the tap on. Oops

 

[aVdub]

Had the same with ours last week. Turned out to be full of the GF's hair and only took 10 minutes to take apart and clean out.

 

[Thug]

Did she know how to use them though ......

Thats quite a common problem.
I have found the best way to do it is to fill the sink full of water and then use the punge. This will force water onto the blockage and not air (which is useless).

The plug should lift out still. The lever behind the taps connects to a rod that pivots where it goes into the sink. The end of this rod lifts the plug up and gravity makes it fall again. The plug is not actually connected at all and should juts lift free.

If you get it out you could also use a straightened metal coat hanger down there too.

 

[redboy1]

Definitely try to take apart and clean, you'll be shocked how gunged up it probably is and how quick the water will disappear when done.
It's all screwed together and should be hand tightened so no tools required, maybe a peg for your nose

 

[Deleted member 51156]

The best way is to take the trap apart and have a look.The blockage could be solved easily by cleaning the trap,then check the pipe if its gunged up with oils and hair that will also need cleaning,sometimetimes it easier just to replace the pipe....
Careful, the smell if its severely blocked can make u gip once you start to move the blockage...

 

[walleee]

Did she know how to use them though ......

mm hmm.

 

[Solomon Grundy]

I had someone come and replace the u bend in ours after it was draining slowly but it still drains slowly, dunno why it is happening or how to sort it out because the floor is tiled and I can't get to any other pipes.

 

[paulyoung666]

mm hmm.

Simple question