A kitchen sink is very useful in our daily routine, but most people do not give much thought about it until something goes wrong. A blocked kitchen sink can ruin a perfectly good evening. It is upsetting to find out that the water is not going down the drain.

Instead of reading a story to the children or watching your favourite movie series, you find yourself spending the time looking for a plumber, and spending money in the process. In most cases, a sink clog also translates to wet, slimy and probably smelly surfaces and floors.

Most kitchen sink drains get blocked by un-dissolved food particles or from cooking oil grease or soap scum caking onto the drain pipe walls.

The best way to prevent sink clogs is by avoiding putting food waste, kitchen oils and solids down the drain as much as possible.

Meanwhile, the next time you have a blocked sink, try the following simple tricks, before rushing to call the plumber:

Use a plunger

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A plunger, also known as a force cup or a plumber’s friend is a tool made of a rubber cup on a long handle. It is used to clear blockages in pipes and drains by means.

Cover the drain’s opening with the plunger cup and plunge up and down in vigorous strokes. This should help in draining the stagnant water in the sink.

Baking soda and vinegar

Pour a good amount of boiling water into the drain and dump in a scoop of baking soda. Let it sit for sometime, then pour a mixture of vinegar and hot water.

Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes then flush the drain with hot water. This helps clear the clog and leaves your drain smelling good.

This remedy can also be used even when the sink is not clogged, as a regular maintenance to keep your drain flowing as smoothly as possible.

Use a snake

In cases where the clog is caused by garbage or a plastic bag, you can use a snake (sold at the hardware) or improvise one from a metallic hanger.

Unbend a wire hanger and use it to snake down the drain. This helps in pulling out or pushing through the clogged object, hence clearing the drain.

Run the drain with boiling water and a scoop of kitchen salt, to clean it of the gunky smell.