Clearing a drain and dealing with a dripping tap – without chemicals

The trap is a simple, clever invention: the bend keeps a small amount of water in the pipe that separates the room from the sewer system. But because everything that is heavier or catches collects there too, most blockages sit very close to the outlet – in the strainer, in the trap or just beyond it. That is why they can often be cleared without special equipment.

The plunger works with water pressure. Because water hardly compresses, it transmits each push directly to the blockage. Alternating pressure and suction shake it loose until it is flushed on. For this to work, the pressure has to reach it and must not escape through another opening – that is why you cover the overflow.

A tap closes by having a part seal the opening. In older taps this is a rubber washer, in many newer ones a cartridge with ceramic discs. If the washer becomes hard or the disc is roughened by limescale, the tap no longer seals completely – and it drips.

Always move from simple to more involved: first remove the strainer or plug and clear hair with gloves, then use the plunger, then the trap. Put a bucket underneath when unscrewing the trap, because the standing water will run out. Loosen the nuts of plastic traps by hand; pipe wrenches easily crush or overtighten them. When reassembling, seat the sealing rings correctly, tighten hand-tight and then run water to check everything is watertight.

With a dripping tap, shutting off the water is the first step: close the isolation valve under the basin or the main stopcock and open the tap until nothing more comes out. Close the plughole with the plug so no small parts disappear. Take the old part to the shop to get a matching replacement – washers and cartridges come in many forms. If it is unclear how the tap is built, that is the moment for a professional.

In rented homes: cleaning the strainer and using a plunger are usually fine; if more is needed, inform the landlord.

Chemical drain cleaners are strongly corrosive. They can seriously injure skin and eyes, react dangerously with other cleaners and attack pipes. So it is best to do without them altogether. If cleaner has already been poured in, do not use the plunger under any circumstances – it can make the liquid splash out. Then wear goggles and gloves, ventilate well and open the trap only very carefully, or call professionals.

There are often appliances or sockets under the sink. Before working there with water, unplug appliances and keep wet areas dry. Water and electricity do not belong together.

Gas pipes, gas boilers and water heaters are off-limits. If you smell gas: do not operate any switch, no flames, open windows, leave the building and call the emergency service or the local emergency number from outside (112 in the EU).

If several drains are slow at the same time, the toilet gurgles when the basin is running, or water rises in the shower or floor drain, the blockage is usually deeper in the main drain. That is a job for a professional with the right equipment. The same applies to leaking pipes in the wall, damp patches on ceilings and walls, and anything to do with the water heater.

During floods or a failure of the sewage system, different rules apply: drains can then push water back up, and the authorities give advice on what to do. That advice comes first.

Most blockages can be avoided. A hair catcher in the shower and basin catches the main culprit and is easy to empty. Fat and frying oil do not belong in the drain but, once cooled, in the bin – warm it flows, in a cold pipe it sets and glues dirt together.

A hand drain snake – a flexible wire with a crank – reaches blockages beyond the trap. Turn it slowly and without force so the pipes are not damaged. A plunger and a snake are cheap aids that pay for themselves over the years in many households.