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Start with boiling water. Boil a full kettle, pour it directly down the drain in two or three stages, waiting a few seconds between each pour. This alone clears minor grease clogs about 30% of the time. If that doesn’t work, keep reading — we’ll walk through every DIY method, explain what actually works (and what doesn’t), and tell you when it’s time to call a plumber.
As plumbers who unclog drains every day, we want to be honest: most kitchen sink clogs are fixable without a service call. But some clogs are symptoms of bigger problems, and forcing a DIY fix can make things worse.
Step 1: Boiling Water
Best for: Minor grease buildup and soap scum.
Boil a full kettle or pot of water
Pour directly into the drain opening (not the side with the garbage disposal)
Wait 5-10 seconds between pours
Repeat 2-3 times
Important: Only use boiling water on metal pipes. If you have PVC pipes (white plastic), use hot — not boiling — water. Boiling water can soften PVC joints.
Step 2: Baking Soda and Vinegar
This is the most popular home remedy, and yes, it works for mild clogs.
Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain
Follow with 1/2 cup white vinegar
Cover the drain with a plug or wet cloth (keeps the fizzing action in the pipe, not your sink)
Wait 15-30 minutes
Flush with hot water
The chemical reaction creates carbon dioxide gas, which can break up loose blockages. It’s also good for maintenance — doing this monthly helps prevent buildup.
Does Vinegar Actually Unclog a Drain?
Honestly? For light buildup, yes. For a real clog — like a packed grease plug or food debris — usually not. The reaction just isn’t powerful enough to break through a serious blockage. It’s more of a maintenance trick than a fix.
Step 3: Use a Plunger (The Right Way)
Most people don’t realize you can plunge a kitchen sink, or they do it wrong.
Use a flat-bottom cup plunger (not a flange plunger — that’s for toilets)
Fill the sink with 3-4 inches of water
If you have a double sink, plug the other side with a wet cloth
Place the plunger over the drain and pump vigorously 15-20 times
Pull up sharply on the last pump
This creates pressure that can dislodge the clog. It works surprisingly well for food and debris blockages.
Step 4: Clean the P-Trap
The P-trap is the curved pipe under your sink. This is where most clogs actually sit.
Place a bucket under the P-trap
Unscrew the slip nuts on both ends (hand-tight, or use channel-lock pliers)
Pull the P-trap down and dump the contents into the bucket
Clean the inside of the trap with a bottle brush or old toothbrush
Reassemble and test
This takes about 10 minutes and fixes the majority of stubborn kitchen clogs. Fair warning: it will smell bad. That’s the clog.
Step 5: Use a Drain Snake
If the clog is beyond the P-trap, a hand drain snake (also called an auger) is your next move.
You can buy a basic hand snake at any hardware store for $20-$30
Remove the P-trap (see above)
Feed the snake cable into the wall pipe
Crank the handle to push through the clog
Pull back and clean the cable, repeat if needed
A drain snake is the same tool plumbers use — we just have larger, motorized versions for tougher jobs.
What NOT to Do
Don’t use chemical drain cleaners (Drano, Liquid-Plumr, etc.). We see the damage these cause every week. They can corrode pipes, damage garbage disposals, and create dangerous chemical reactions. They also don’t work well on kitchen grease clogs. If you’ve already used chemical cleaner, tell your plumber before they start work — for safety reasons.
Don’t force a coat hanger down the drain. You can scratch or puncture pipes.
Don’t keep running water into a clogged sink. You’ll just overflow.
When to Call a Plumber
Call a professional when:
Multiple drains are clogged. If your kitchen sink AND bathroom drain are both slow, the clog is in your main line, not the kitchen branch. This needs professional equipment.
The clog keeps coming back. Recurring clogs often mean a deeper issue — pipe damage, root intrusion, or a design problem.
Water is backing up from other drains. This is a main sewer line issue. Not a DIY job.
You smell sewage. That could indicate a venting problem or sewer line issue.
You’ve tried everything above. No shame in it. Some clogs need a motorized snake or hydro jetting.
How Much Does It Cost to Unclog a Kitchen Sink?
If you call a plumber:
Basic drain cleaning (snake): $150 – $300
Hydro jetting: $350 – $600
Camera inspection + clearing: $200 – $500
Main line clearing: $200 – $500
Most kitchen sink clogs are on the basic end — a 15-minute snake job.
How to Prevent Kitchen Sink Clogs
Never pour grease down the drain. Let it cool in a can and throw it in the trash.
Use a drain strainer. Catches food particles before they become clogs.
Run hot water after every use. Keeps grease moving through the pipes.
Monthly maintenance: Baking soda + vinegar flush (see Step 2 above)
Run your garbage disposal with cold water. Cold water solidifies grease so the disposal can chop it up, instead of letting liquid grease coat your pipes.
How Waldrop Can Help
At Waldrop Plumbing Air Electric, drain cleaning is one of our most common calls. Our plumbers carry motorized drain snakes and camera inspection equipment on every truck. We can clear the clog, then show you on camera exactly what caused it — so you can prevent it from happening again.
If you’ve tried the DIY route and the sink is still clogged, give us a call at (864) 536-0887 or book online at www.callwaldrop.com/schedule/ — we serve Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, and the entire Upstate SC area.
