Dealing With Kitchen Sink Clogs

Is Your Kitchen Sink Having Problems?

Water isn't draining properly, and now your sink is filling up instead of clearing. Single bowl, double bowl, with a garbage disposal or without — every kitchen sink setup can clog differently, and be cleared differently. Standing water is usually the first sign of a stoppage.

The cause can be as simple as buildup in the strainer body, a blocked disposal, or a blockage in the trap — or something more serious farther down the drain line. If you have a dishwasher without an air gap, a clogged kitchen drain can send wastewater into the dishwasher, so check there too if water starts draining unexpectedly.

Troubleshooting a Kitchen Sink Clog

In a single-bowl sink, a clog typically shows up as standing water. In a double-bowl sink, water may drain from one side and back up into the other until it levels out in both basins.

If plunging hasn't worked, the clog is likely beyond the strainer basket. Next, check the trap: if it has a clean-out plug, place a bucket underneath and remove the plug. No water draining out means the trap itself is clogged — disconnect it, clear the blockage, and reinstall, making sure it drains without leaking.

If water drains freely once the plug is removed, the clog is farther down the line. You can try clearing it with a hand-held drain auger after removing the piping under the sink — but if it's more serious or stays unresolved, it's time to call a plumber.

When to Hire a Professional Plumber

Drain snakes and augers take real experience, and improper use can cause injury or damage to your plumbing. If you've reached this stage without clearing the clog, we recommend calling a licensed, experienced plumber. For clogs that keep coming back no matter how many times they're snaked, hydro jetting clears the full pipe wall instead of just punching a hole through the blockage.