Hair, soap residue, food particles and other matter can all contribute to clogs in your sink.  Due to the amount of hot water that flows through most kitchen sinks however, those clogs are more likely to occur in bathrooms.

Luckily, clogs in sinks usually build slowly, so when you first develop a clog odds are that the source of the problem will be very near by and easily within reach.

You might try using a plunger as a quick first option. Fill the sink with a couple of inches of water, apply the plunger and give it a shot. If you’re successful, you’ll know pretty quickly.

If that doesn’t work, it’s time to move on to the trap. To locate the trap, look under the sink for the lowest bend in the pipes. That’s your trap. If it has a clean out plug at the bottom of the bend, just open the plug and pull out the clog with needle nose pliers or whatever works best.

If the trap is the more ordinary kind with couplings on either end, loosen both couplings, slide the trap off and clean it out with a wire brush.

After removing the trap, you may find that the clog has moved a bit further down the line.  In that case, you can try to insert an auger into the still-open pipe and push the obstruction out.

By the way, before disconnecting your pipes, make sure you put a bucket underneath to catch the water that will run out. And be careful not to apply so much pressure that you crush or otherwise damage your pipes. The last thing you want is to make matters worse.

You may be tempted to simply try a drain-cleaning product you pick up at the supermarket.  Watch out. Many of those products can be damaging to your pipes.

If you still have a problem after trying all the techniques mentioned here, contact your local ARS or Rescue Rooter service professional today. We’ll send a knowledgeable plumber out to assess your system in a jiffy.