HH Homeowner's Handbook
Home / Plumbing / Unclog a sink or tub drain
TASK NO. 012 Preventive

Unclog a sink or tub drain

Plumbing
Trigger
As needed
Who does it
DIY
Est. time
15-30 min
Est. cost
$0-15
Difficulty
●○○○○
Step by step
  1. Remove the stopper and pull out visible hair/gunk by hand.

  2. Try a plunger with the overflow hole covered for a tight seal.

  3. If still clogged, remove the P-trap under the sink and clear it into a bucket.

  4. Use a hand-crank drain auger/snake for anything deeper in the line.

  5. Avoid chemical drain cleaners; they can damage pipes and are a plumber safety hazard.

Video guide
How to Clear Clogged Drains - Family Handyman
Watch this guide
✓ Source checked against this task.
Community editing (coming soon)

See a better technique, a broken link, or a regional building-code note? Contributions will work like a wiki once accounts and review are live.