How do I unclog a kitchen sink?
By the Drain Guru team · Updated September 27, 2026
Quick answer
If you have a garbage disposal, first press its red reset button and make sure it isn't jammed. Then seal the second basin (or the dishwasher hose) and plunge or use an air-pressure opener on the clogged side. Grease clogs often clear after a flush of very hot water with dish soap. Never use chemical cleaner with a disposal.
1. Check the garbage disposal
- Switch it off. Press the reset button on the bottom of the unit.
- If it hums but won't spin, turn off the power and use the hex key in the bottom socket to work it back and forth.
- Never put your hand in the disposal.
2. Seal the other side
In a double sink, both basins share one drain. Plug the other basin with a stopper or a wet rag held firmly, or pressure just comes up there. Do the same if the dishwasher drain connects nearby.
3. Plunge or blast
Use a cup plunger with a few inches of water in the sink, or an air-pressure drain opener with a sink-sized head. Grease and food clogs near the trap usually move.
4. Hot water and dish soap for grease
Squirt dish soap down the drain and follow with a kettle of very hot water (hot, not boiling, if your pipes are PVC). Repeat a couple of times. It softens congealed grease.
Stop pouring grease, coffee grounds and starchy peels down the sink. They're behind most kitchen clogs. Scrape grease into a can once it cools.
More questions
Can I use drain cleaner in a kitchen sink with a disposal?
No. Caustic cleaners can damage the disposal's seals and splash back if you have to run it or plunge afterwards.
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.