The Honest Guide to Unblocking a Drain
Searching "how to unblock a drain" is usually the first thing people do when water starts pooling in the sink or shower. As a plumber with 20+ years of experience across Melbourne's South East, I want to give you an honest picture of what actually works — and when you need to call a professional.
Step 1 — Identify What Type of Blockage You Have
Before doing anything, understand what you're dealing with. Is it a single fixture — just the kitchen sink, or just the shower? Or are multiple drains slow at the same time? If multiple drains are affected simultaneously, you have a blockage in the main drain line, not an individual fixture. Stop reading DIY tips and call a plumber — that's a different problem entirely.
For a Single Fixture — What You Can Try
Boiling water — for kitchen sink grease blockages, carefully pour boiling water directly down the drain. This can dissolve fresh grease that hasn't yet hardened. Won't work on older blockages or anything other than grease.
Baking soda and vinegar — the classic combination creates a fizzing reaction that can shift soft blockages. Pour half a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of white vinegar, wait 20 minutes, then flush with hot water. Works on mild blockages only.
A plunger — the most effective DIY tool for toilet and sink blockages. Use a cup plunger for sinks and a flange plunger for toilets. Create a good seal and use firm, rhythmic pressure. This works well for soft, fresh blockages close to the drain opening.
Drain snake from hardware store — a hand-cranked drain snake can reach further than a plunger and can physically dislodge a blockage. Available from Bunnings for around $20-40. Has limits though — cheap snakes typically only reach 3-5 metres and can't cut through tree roots.
Chemical drain cleaners — avoid them. They're corrosive, they damage older pipes (especially PVC and earthenware), they're environmentally harmful, and they rarely fully clear a blockage. They may improve flow temporarily while leaving significant residue that causes rapid re-blockage.
When DIY Doesn't Work — Call a Plumber
Call a professional when: the blockage keeps coming back in the same drain, multiple fixtures are slow or blocked, there's a sewage smell, you've tried the above and nothing worked, or the blocked drain is in the main sewer line. These situations require professional equipment — a 5000 PSI hydro jetter and CCTV camera — to find the real cause and fix it properly.
Call Jack at Water Serpent Plumbing on 0425 226 636 for same-day blocked drain service across Melbourne's South East including Ringwood, Bayswater, Ferntree Gully and all surrounding suburbs.