Plunger vs drain snake: which clears a blocked sink

Verdict: try the plunger first. If the sink is still slow after four or five rounds, move to a snake. If neither works, the block is far down the pipe, so call a plumber. Use one method at a time, and never add chemical cleaners on top.

Which wins on

Caution

If water backs up in more than one drain, stop. The main drain is blocked and a plumber is needed. For the full ladder, see how to unblock a kitchen sink.

Where the answer flips

In a bath or shower, hair is the usual cause, so start with a snake or a hair tool. In a kitchen sink, grease and food are the usual cause, so start with the plunger. In a toilet, use a toilet plunger, and do not use a snake unless it is made for toilets.

Worked example

A bathroom sink is slow. Round numbers: the plunger gets it a little better, from 3 minutes to empty to 2 minutes. That tells you the block is deeper or made of hair. You remove the pop-up plug, feed a plastic snake in, and pull out a clump of hair. The sink empties in 10 seconds. If the block had been grease in a kitchen, the plunger or a U-bend clean might have done it.

Common mistakes

• Plunging with the overflow open. Block it with a wet cloth.
• Forcing a snake round a bend. Twist gently.
• Adding chemical cleaner and then plunging. Splashes can hurt skin and eyes.
• Ignoring the cause. A strainer stops hair and food reaching the pipe.

What to buy

A flat-cup plunger and a plastic drain snake cost a few dollars together. A strainer is cheap too. That is enough for most homes. See how to unblock a kitchen sink for the full order of steps.

How to use each in under a minute

Plunger. Water over the cup, steady strokes, pull off sharply. Five rounds. Check after each round.

Snake. Push in, twist, hook, pull back slowly. Wipe the tool as it comes out. Bag what you find. Wash your hands after.

If you have used a chemical cleaner in the last day, do not plunge. Splashes can burn skin and eyes. Wait and ask the label or a poison centre what to do.

Costs

Both tools cost a few dollars and last for years. Compare that with a plumber visit, which usually costs far more. Even if you only use them once a year, they usually pay for themselves.

Stop it coming back

A strainer in the plug hole catches food and hair. Empty it into the bin each day. Once a month, run hot tap water down the sink for a minute. Never pour cooking fat down the drain. Wipe pans with paper first. These small habits keep pipes clear for much longer.

For hair clogs in a shower, lift the cover off the drain and pull out what you can see by hand with a glove on.