How do I unclog a bathroom sink?
By the Drain Guru team · Updated September 27, 2026
Quick answer
Most bathroom sink clogs are hair and soap caught on the pop-up stopper. Pull the stopper out, clean it, and fish out hair with a plastic drain snake. If it's still slow, cover the overflow hole with a wet rag and plunge, or use an air-pressure opener, so the pressure goes down the drain instead of out the overflow.
1. Clean the pop-up stopper
Many stoppers lift straight out. Others are held by a pivot rod under the sink: unscrew the nut on the back of the drain pipe, pull the rod out, lift the stopper, and clean off the hair and gunk. Reassemble in reverse.
2. Pull out hair
A cheap plastic barbed drain snake is the most effective tool for sink hair. Push it down, twist, and pull. Expect something unpleasant.
3. Plunge or blast, with the overflow covered
Bathroom sinks have an overflow hole near the rim. If you don't block it, a plunger or air-pressure tool just pushes air out through it. Stuff a wet rag into the overflow, then plunge with a small cup plunger or use an air-pressure opener with a sink head.
4. Clean the P-trap
If it's still slow, put a bucket under the U-shaped pipe beneath the sink, unscrew the two slip nuts by hand, and empty and rinse the trap. Reassemble hand-tight, run water and check for drips.
More questions
Why does my bathroom sink keep clogging?
Hair plus soap scum builds a sticky mat on the stopper. A drain hair catcher and a hot-water flush once a week prevent most repeat clogs.
Related answers
General information only. Plumbing codes, prices and landlord-tenant laws vary by location. For gas, electrical, sewer-line or structural problems, contact a licensed professional.