Does anyone know how to get a sink unplugged? I poured some grease into my garbage disposal last night and an hour later I rean my dishwasher. Well I got up and came downstairs and both sink are nearly overflowing! I ran the garbage disposal and it just made the water in the opposite side bubble up and over so I checked the drain and it was clear and stuck my hand in the garbage disposal-clear! I have 4 hours until I can put in a work order to the maintenance guy. He is unreliable and sucks anyway so I would rather do it myself! Was it the grease? I have never had this happen so all you ingenious ladies -could you lend a hand please? Thanks!
Thanks for the great advice! I emptied the sinks and ran hot water down the drains. Then I poured boiling. Soapy water down the drains, after that I ran more hot water! It worked!
It was most likely the grease. Do you have any liquid plummer or drano?
Try using your toilet plunger to help break through the clog.
In the future, never put grease in the sink. I always put it in a bowl and let it solidify then put it in the trash.
Never pour grease down a drain- not only does it clog up your drains, it also causes major problems for the sewage system. I always pour grease in an old coffee container to dispose of later, or if it's a small amount, I pour it into a cup with paper towels, then dispose of the paper towels into the trash.
Pour hot, boiling water down the drain and then plunge the drain with a toilet plunger. Then flush some more with hot water until the grease has time to move out of your pipes. You can also use Dawn dishwashing liquid down the drain before plunging. It's very effective at dispersing grease. That should help!
Yes it was the grease -- probably. When you put it down the sink, when it goes into your pipes, it cools and clings to the pipe. If your pipes are already a little lined with gross stuff, it makes it much worse. You shouldn't ever pour grease down a sink. In fact, I have a good friend who is a plumber and he says I should get rid of my garbage disposal. They cause nothing but trouble. You are probably going to have to have your pipes rodded out -- maybe even starting in the clean-out in your basement. I doubt you can fix this one by yourself.
And yes, it's happened to me. Learned the hard way. Sorry you are too. :-(
Reduce the water in the sinks with a bucket and pour that water down the toilet. Then, pour a large potful of boiling water in each side SLOWLY - you don't want to overflow boiling water on yourself. If it is just the grease, the boiling water should get it moving on.
Get a drain opener at the grocery store (like Drano), let it sit for awhile, run really hot water after a half hour or so....You can try the plunger as well. Least that's what I'd do
(my guy has a FIT when I pour grease down the drain! Like what ELSE am I supposed to do with it right?!)
Grease down the drain is a big no no. If can harden up down the line and back your drain up. If it's not much you absorb it into paper towels and throw it away in the trash. If there is more than that, you pour it into a can, let it harden, then throw it away in the trash.
You can try Liquid Plumber or anything that will dissolve the grease. You might need to get a plumbers snake and clear the line.
You don't need Drano or any of those other harmful chemicals. I've done this myself, it's not the end of the world. Just boil a large pot of water, like the pots you would cook spaghetti or lobster in and then pour it in the sink. Presto. You might have to do it again for added measure, but it doesn't cost anything and your not destroying your pipes with the chemicals.
