Clogged drain – what to do?
Difficulty: Easy · Time: approx. 20 minutes
A slow or fully clogged drain is almost always caused by hair, grease or food scraps building up in the pipe or in the odour trap (the siphon). In most cases you can clear it yourself without special tools.
Start with the gentle methods (hot water, household remedies, plunger) and only move on to unscrewing the siphon if needed. Harsh chemical drain cleaners are rarely necessary and can damage pipes and seals.
What you'll need
- Rubber plunger
- Bucket + cloth
- Rubber gloves
- Baking soda + vinegar
- Optional: a drain snake for stubborn clogs
Step by step
- 1
Remove what you can see
Take out the drain strainer and remove any hair and debris within reach – the clog often sits right at the opening.
- 2
Flush with hot water
Pour in a good amount of hot water (not boiling, for plastic pipes). This alone often dissolves grease clogs.
- 3
Baking soda and vinegar
Add 2–3 tablespoons of baking soda, then a cup of vinegar. It will fizz – leave it for 10–15 minutes, then rinse with hot water.
- 4
Use a plunger
Seal the overflow hole with a damp cloth, leave some water in the basin, place the plunger over the drain and pump firmly 10–15 times.
- 5
Clean the siphon
If nothing works: put a bucket under the siphon, loosen the union nuts, remove the trap and rinse it out. Screw it back on and check for leaks.
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Upload a photo →Frequently asked questions
- Do baking soda and vinegar really work?
- For light grease and soap residue, yes – the reaction loosens deposits. For a solid hair plug in the siphon, a plunger or removing the trap works better.
- When should I call a plumber?
- If several drains are blocked at once, water rises elsewhere, or still nothing drains after cleaning the siphon – the blockage sits deeper.