Kitchen Sink Clog Repair

Signs of a Kitchen Drain Clog

Kitchen clogs tend to build slowly. Grease coats the pipe, food catches on it, and the sink drains a little slower each week until it stops. A dishwasher backing water into the sink is often the first obvious sign.

• Standing water in one or both sink basins
• Water backing up into the other basin or the dishwasher
• Gurgling when the dishwasher drains
• Bad odors from the drain

What Not to Put Down a Kitchen Drain

Most kitchen clogs are built from the same few things. Keeping them out of the drain prevents most repeat calls.

• Grease, oil and fat, even when hot and liquid. Wipe pans with a paper towel first.
• Coffee grounds and eggshells, which settle and pack into the line.
• Rice, pasta and other starches, which swell with water.
• Fibrous scraps like celery, corn husks and onion skins, which wrap around disposal blades and catch other debris.

How a Plumber Clears a Kitchen Sink

The plumber checks the disposal and dishwasher connection first, then clears the trap. If the clog is further in, they run an auger through the line inside the wall, where most kitchen clogs actually sit.

1. Check the disposal and the dishwasher connection.
2. Remove the trap and clean it.
3. Run an auger through the line inside the wall to clear the clog.
4. Flush with hot water and test both basins and the dishwasher.

What Affects the Cost of Clearing a Kitchen Sink

The price mostly depends on how far into the wall the clog is and whether grease buildup calls for more than a standard auger.

• Whether the clog is in the trap or further down the line inside the wall.
• Garbage disposal or dishwasher involvement.
• Heavy grease buildup that calls for jetting.
• Access under the sink and to the wall cleanout.

When a Kitchen Clog Needs Same-Day Help

• Water is backing up into the other basin and the dishwasher.
• Sink water is coming up in another fixture.

Hard Water and Kitchen Drains

In very hard water cities like Las Vegas and San Antonio, mineral scale builds up inside drain pipes along with grease, narrowing the line faster. A kitchen line that clogs every year or two in these cities often needs jetting, which scours scale and grease off the pipe wall, rather than just snaking.

Local plumbing details: Las Vegas, San Antonio

Drain Clogs by City

What our city pages say about drain clogs:

• Poinciana, FL: Kitchen grease and wipes block the line between the house and the street.
• Fairfield, CA: Kitchen and main lines clog with grease and roots.
• Sunrise Manor, NV: Older kitchen and laundry drains narrow with grease and scale.
• Mount Pleasant, SC: Tidal flooding and downpours can slow sewers in low areas.
• White Marsh, MD: Kitchen and main lines clog with grease and wipes.
• Mission, TX: Kitchen lines and main drains clog with grease and roots.
• Kansas City, MO: Many homes have basements, so sewer backups and sump pump failures are common after heavy rain.
• Tuscaloosa, AL: Kitchen and bathroom drains in student housing clog often.

Before the Plumber Arrives

• Empty the cabinet under the sink.
• Don't pour chemical cleaner into a fully blocked sink; if you already did, tell the plumber.

Other Drain Cleaning Services

• Main Sewer Line Cleaning
• Hydro Jetting

Kitchen Sink Clog Questions