Introduction: How to Unclog Sink Pipes

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About: Lithium Rain is absolutely not to be trifled with when it comes to building insane and useless things. She prides herself on being able to eat more churros than your average horse. She is not a toaster. She i…

My sink took 15 minutes to fully drain. This, needless to say, was getting ridiculous. So I cleaned it out. This instructable will show you how to remove all that gunk that's keeping your sink from draining properly, without pouring nasty chemicals down the drain that cost monies and kill all the good bugs in the septic tank.

This isn't for the faint of heart, however. I have a strong stomach, but this one made me gag. So this might be a job you sweettalk/bribe/force someone else to do for you. ;-)

Step 1: Gather Tools

You will need:

  • Pliers or other pinchy thing

    • Long screwdriver or other poky thing
    • Bucket O' Happiness
    • Towels or other absorbant things
    • A strong stomach
    • An air freshener
    • Music/podcasts to take your mind off things

If you are a (Wo)Man, you will not need any of the last three items. If you are a Wuss, you will need all of them. If you are a Muss, you could turn on the bathroom fan and hum to yourself.

Step 2: Disconnect the Pipes

Unscrew the pipes under the sink and set aside the ones that can come completely out. They will have water in them, so set the bucket on some towels and hold underneath to catch the water.

Step 3: The Fun Bit

Now take the pliers and screwdriver and poke, pull, push and scrape alll the disgusting goo and hair out of the sink, and dump it right in that Bucket O' Happiness. Be sure to get the bottom pipe leading from the sink as well as all the stuff out of the top.

Step 4: Cleaning Out the Other Pipes

Remember those pipes we laid aside in the first step?

Oh. No, that's okay. I'll wait here. I should have told you we weren't throwing them away forever. It sure looked like we were.

Got 'em?

Alrighty then, take them outside (so you don't start a horrible game of musical pus by dumping the goo from one sink down another so you have to clean up that sink) and spray them out with a hose.

Step 5: Putting It All Back Together

Put all the pipes back the way they were and screw all fittings nice and tight. Run the water to make sure the pipes are clear and there are no leaks.

That's it, you're done! Go reward yourself with something awesome. You deserve it. You totally do. This was not a fun job.