Start with a slow drain

A slow sink or a bath with standing water usually means a clogged drain. If you catch it early, common household items can often clear it. Fast action matters, because a small clog grows quickly.

Most people forget their drains until something goes wrong. When dirty water will not go away, it is a real nuisance. Our guide on how to know when your drain needs cleaning lists the early signs.

Why a blocked drain needs quick action

A blocked drain is more than an inconvenience. Dirty, overflowing water breeds bacteria, so it can harm your health. It can also damage floors, walls and electrics if it spreads.

Therefore, deal with a blockage before it gets worse. Most clogs come from household waste building up in the pipe. Our article on the importance of keeping your drains clear explains why this matters.

Simple home methods

Hot water, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and salt are simple tools for slow sinks. Each one is cheap and easy to find. For example:

Pour bicarbonate of soda down the drain, then add white vinegar and wait.
Mix lemon juice with bicarbonate of soda for a milder fizz.
Pour in a mix of salt and bicarbonate of soda, then flush with hot water.

Rinse each time with plenty of hot water. These methods work best on light grease and soap. However, they will not clear a solid blockage, so stop if nothing changes.

A plunger or a drain rod suits some jobs. Our guide on what can I do to clear a blocked drain shows the next steps. For toilets, read unblocking a toilet, since the method differs.

What to keep out of the kitchen sink

Some things should never go down a kitchen sink. Cooking fat, coffee grounds and meat trimmings build up in pipes. Therefore put them in the bin.

Place a strainer over the plughole to catch food scraps. Empty it often, because a full strainer does not work. For a longer plan, see how can I keep my drain clear of blockage and common causes of blocked drains.

When home methods are not enough

If remedies fail, or the blockage keeps returning, the cause may be structural. A cracked pipe or a root problem needs more than a home fix. Our drain repairs page covers those jobs.

Other signs need quick action too. Sewage in a lower room is serious, as sewer backup in basement explains. If the blockage is in the main run, read how to unblock a sewage drain.

Keeping drains clear

A routine helps more than any single fix. Our guide on how often drains should be cleaned gives a practical plan. Regular care means fewer blockages, and it saves you time.

Where we work

If you need help with a sink, we offer blocked sink clearance and wider blocked drains help. We cover drain unblocking in Enfield, blocked drains in Barnet and blocked drains in Edgware. Use the online enquiry form to ask for help.