How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey reveals the best ways to unclog a backed-up bathroom sink. (See below for a shopping list, tools, and steps.)
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Shopping List for How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink:
- Hair snare
- Drain snake
Tools List for How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink:
- Open-faced wrench
- Bucket (to catch any excess water)
Steps for How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink:
1. First, check the pop-up assembly to make sure it's rising up enough at the drain line of the sink.
2. If that's not the problem, disassemble the pop-up assembly by loosening the nut on the main drainage pipe with an open-faced wrench and remove it. Be sure to use a bucket underneath to catch any excess water.
3. Any gunk may be connected to the pop-up that's released, or excess gunk in the drain can be scraped out by hand.
4. If there's a stoppage further down the drain, use the hair snare and fish it down the drain to attempt to loosen the obstruction.
5. The last resort may be a drain snake. Fish the apparatus down through the pipes and through the p-trap to attempt to loosen obstruction.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Unclog a Bathroom Sink | Ask This Old House
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