How to Unclog Your Sink Fast With Baking Soda, Vinegar, or Soda Crystals (2025)

If your kitchen sink is acting more stubborn than a Home Affairs queue, don’t panic. You can often fix it yourself in just five minutes, with no plumber, no chemicals, and no need to trek to Builders.

Clogged drains are a Joburg classic: grease from a good old-fashioned Sunday braai, food scraps, or soap scum all love building up in our pipes. But with the right household basics and a bit of elbow grease, you can sort out most minor blockages faster than it takes to boil the kettle.

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Step 1: Start With Boiling Water

First things first, clear any standing water and boil a full kettle. Pour it straight down the drain. The hot water helps melt away fatty build-up and softens anything that’s clinging to the inside of the pipes. For light blockages, this alone can sometimes do the trick.

Step 2: Add Baking Soda and Vinegar (or Soda Crystals)

Next up, grab one cup of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Then add one cup of white vinegar. The fizzy reaction helps shake up whatever’s lurking in your pipes. Cover the plughole with a cloth or stopper and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

Alternative: If your sink is often clogged by grease (which is likely in Joburg homes), use soda crystals instead of vinegar. These alkaline granules dissolve fat far more effectively and are widely available at hardware stores.

⚠️ Quick tip: While the fizz is satisfying, baking soda and vinegar can sometimes cancel each other out. For tougher grease clogs, soda crystals are your best bet.

Step 3: Flush It Again

Once the reaction has had time to work, boil another kettle and pour it slowly down the drain to flush away all the loosened gunk. If the sink still drains slowly, repeat the process one more time, letting the pipes cool between rounds.

Still Blocked? Try These

If the clog’s being extra stubborn:

• Plunge it. Block the second sinkhole (if you have one), fill the bowl a bit, and get plunging. You need enough water to fully submerge the plunger bell.

• Use a drain snake. Or even a straightened wire coat hanger. Gently work it into the drain to snag hair or food residue.

• Clean the P-trap. Place a bucket under the U-bend under the sink, unscrew the slip nuts, remove the pipe, and clear out the grime. Reassemble, rinse, and voilà.

Prevention Is Cheaper Than a Call-Out Fee

Joburg water is notoriously hard, and fat clogs build up quickly if you’re not careful. Here’s how to keep your drains happy:

• Pour boiling water down your drain once a week.

• Avoid pouring cooking grease, coffee grounds, or food scraps down the sink.

• Use a strainer to catch debris before it goes into the pipes.

• Clean your sink with baking soda and vinegar or soda crystals once a month.

• If you’ve got a garbage disposal (garburator), never overload it.

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Featured Image: Architectural Digest