How to Unblock a Slow Bathroom Sink | Remove a Pop-Up Drain Stopper & Clean the Waste Trap, by DIY with Anja on YouTube. 2 min 54 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 54 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Clear the space under the sink and put a bucket or towel directly below the waste trap. Trapped water will spill out when you open it.
Open the tap slightly so the basin is not bone dry, then look under the sink for the lift rod. It is the thin metal rod running down from the tap to the drain.
Loosen the small screw or clip holding the lift rod to the stopper pivot, then pull the rod free. On some models you unscrew the pivot nut instead.
Lift the pop-up stopper straight out of the drain from above. Pull out any hair wrapped around it and set it aside.
Unscrew both slip nuts on the waste trap by hand or with pliers. Support the trap as you loosen the second nut so it does not drop.
Empty the trap into the bucket. Scrub the inside with a brush and rinse it under the tap until the walls are clear.
Check the pipe stub in the wall and the drain opening for hair. Hook out what you can with a bent wire or brush.
Refit the trap with the washers in place and hand-tighten both slip nuts. Give them a final quarter turn with pliers, but do not overtighten.
Reconnect the lift rod and drop the stopper back in. Run hot water for a minute and check every joint for drips.
Tips and common mistakes
Wear gloves, because the trap contents are messy and can contain sharp hairpins.
Do not overtighten plastic slip nuts or you can crack them and cause a leak.
If the sink still drains slowly after cleaning, the blockage is further down the pipe and needs a drain snake.
Run hot water down the sink weekly to keep soap scum from building up again.
Questions
Do I have to remove the pop-up stopper to clean the trap?
Not always, but removing it lets you clear hair from the drain opening and reach the trap more easily. It also stops the stopper from being damaged while you work.
What if the slip nuts will not turn?
Plastic nuts can seize up over time. Try a strap wrench or pour a little warm water over them, and avoid forcing metal tools that could crack the plastic.
How do I stop the sink blocking again?
Fit a hair catcher in the drain and flush the sink with hot water once a week. Clean the catcher whenever hair starts collecting on it.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
