Why drains clog (and why the fix is usually free)
Under every basin sits a P-trap — that U-shaped bend that stays full of water to block sewer gas. The same shape that holds water also catches everything heavy or greasy that comes down: hair and soap scum in bathrooms, grease and food fines in kitchens.
But before the trap, check the obvious: in bathroom basins the pop-up stopper collects a ring of hair at its cross-bar — pull it out and you've fixed a surprising share of "slow drains" in sixty seconds.
The diagnostic ladder — in this order, stop when it drains
- Pull and clean the stopper — the number-one bathroom fix.
- Flush with hot water — softens soap and light grease. On PVC pipework, use hot tap water, not boiling.
- Open the P-trap — bucket underneath, slip-nuts off by hand, dump and rinse. The classic kitchen fix.
- Snake past the trap — a $5 zip tool hooks out what sits deeper.
Two red lights that mean stop and call a plumber: several fixtures slowing at once, or a gurgling sound (or sewer smell) when water drains. That's a vent or main-line problem — no amount of plunging reaches it.
And skip the chemical drain cleaner. It rarely clears a real clog, it corrodes pipework and slip-joint washers, and it leaves caustic liquid sitting in the trap for whoever opens that pipe next — including a future you.