How to Clean Bathroom Sink Plughole & Remove Limescale

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Clogged plughole is one of the most common household problems. Cleaning bathroom sink plughole is something that homeowners most doing work throughout the year. It isn’t very pleasant when you go to clean your hair or wash your hand and find a clogged plughole. However, you can keep your bathroom sink plughole free and clean by regularly removing hair, soap, and other debris.

If the plughole is already clogged, some easy household elements also can help you to clean it. Some common ingredients and simple tools can help you to get rid of this problem. Well, this content will guide you to clean your bathroom sink plughole and help you to remain it unclogged. Among the plenty of ways to clean the plughole, we have listed the best 9 methods.

9 Best ways to clean bathroom sink plughole

Cleaning the bathroom sink plughole at home can be easy if you know the appropriate method. Because proper ingredients, appropriate, and correct tools can drive you towards your desired goal. Stay here to know such methods, which will allow us to clean plughole easily.

1. Use a protective drain screen

It is said that prevention is better than cure. This method will also act as a prevention to avoid getting dirty your plughole quickly. A protective drain screen is one of the best ways to keep your plughole clean and clear the blockages by covering it. You can find it at almost all supermarkets and home improvement stores. This protective screen will prevent debris from running through the plughole.

Once you put the protective drain screen in the plughole, it will start trapping soap pieces, hair, and other debris before they can wash away.

2. Try yourself to clean the plughole

This cleaning method is entirely dependent on your willingness. If you do not mind getting a little bit messy, then just wear gloves and pull out hair and grime from the plughole with your hand. Many people do not like this method though it works well in removing hair to clean and unblock the plughole quickly.

On the other hand, many people try to do it immediately whenever they notice hair building up. Cleaning plughole manually is not for everyone. This is undoubtedly an effective method, but it’s only your choice whether you would like to go for cleaning manually or not.

3. Use of boil water

Bathroom sink blocking is a familiar problem, and it can frequently happen if you do not clean it regularly. If you do not follow the previous cleaning methods, then try out this one. Wash the bathroom sink plughole with boil water is an excellent method to keep it clean and unclog.

Take a big pan full of water. Place on the stove and let it start boiling. Now pour the water slowly into the plughole. Pour boil water every day will keep grime away from the plughole.

Tip: Do not pour too much hot water, as this may damage the plastic pipe.

4. Use of tweezers

There are many small plugholes that are prone to build up dirt and create a blockage. The use of Tweezers is quite effective in cleaning small plugholes. Tweezers are tiny in size and can easily reach inside the plughole and effectively pull out hair and other debris. It can successfully pull out all small particles that can be a cause of plughole clogging. It is widely accepted as the most effective and fastest plughole cleaning method.

5. Use of plunger

The plunger is a very useful tool in unclogging pipes and drains. It is an effective method of clearing debris and blockage build-up around the sink plughole. To get better cleaning, make sure to create a full seal around the plughole before starting up or down. Place the plumber on the plughole and pump up and down frequently to remove the blockage. Proper use of the plunger removes the build-up debris and hair easily. Once the plughole becomes unblock, clean it nicely.

6. Use baking soda and vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar are the often-used ingredients in house cleaning. A combination of both brings excellent results in removing many kinds of stains and dissolving hair and grime in the pipe and around the plughole. Make a solution with 1/3 cup of bicarbonate of soda and the same amount of vinegar. Pour it down the plughole. This solution will clean the plughole, unclog the drain, and also help to remove the bad smell.

7. Use of wire coat hanger

Sometimes, dirt, hair, and debris build-up in the bathroom sink plughole can be so excessive that they become a cause of clogging the pipe too deep. In this situation, your hand and tweezers can fail to reach the blockage to remove.

A wire coat hanger is an effective method to unclog the pipe. Just straighten the hanger and hold the hook tightly. Now enter another end into the plughole and gently twist on both sides. Any build-up of hair and soap will be removed quickly.

8. Use of hair remover cream

Hair build-up is one of the common causes of plughole clogging. If you find hair is the only reason for blocking plughole, hair remover cream can help you remove it. Just put the whole tube of the cream down into the plughole and leave it for at least half an hour. Use stronger water force for a better result, and rinse it nicely.

9. Use of vacuum cleaner

If the hair is the only issue of a dirty plughole, then a vacuum cleaner can also be helpful for it. You can use a vacuum only when the plughole is open and dry. Set the vacuum’s nozzle on the plughole and use the highest suction power to suck up all hair and debris.

How to remove limescale from sink plughole

Limescale is another big cause of the damaged bathroom sink. Though it does not have any health risks, it looks ugly. This irritating deposit can make the sink surface rough. Here are some of the homemade solutions to remove limescale from the sink plughole.

For porcelain sink:

  • Pour some warm water into the sink. Now take a few drops of washing-up liquid on the sponge and scrub gently on the plughole. It will remove limescale, dirt, and grease.
  • Make a paste using one teaspoon of vinegar and two teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda. Apply the paste to the limescale using an old brush or finger top. Leave the paste for five minutes or more. Take a soft sponge and scrub away all stains. Rinse the plughole with normal water.

For stainless steel sink:

  • Make a solution of one cup of white vinegar with five cups of water. Take a soft cloth or sponge to apply the solution to the limescale. Gently scrub to remove hard stains. Rinse the sink with normal water.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can baking soda and vinegar damage the sink pipe?

No, they do not contain any elements that can damage the sink pipe.

Why does plughole smell bad?

Various bacteria can build up in the plughole and the bathroom sink pipe, which can create a bad smell.

Can I use commercial cleaners to clean the bathroom sink plughole?

Yes. If you do not have enough time and the above-listed methods fail to provide you desired results, you can obviously use suitable commercial cleaners.

Is it necessary to clean the plughole regularly?

Yes, it is. It will prevent the build-up of hair, grime, and dirt on the sink plughole quickly.

Can vinegar and baking soda dissolve hair clogs?

Yes. Using vinegar and baking soda is a natural solution for removing hair build-up.

Wrapping up

Cleaning the bathroom sink plughole is not a tough job if you can follow the cleaning methods properly. If you keep clean your sink and do not allow a build-up of anything, hopefully, you do not need to worry about any drain clogging. Hair build-up is one of the major reasons for a dirty sink and block pipe. So, remove hair as soon as you find it on the plughole. Overall, your awareness will reduce your cleaning work.

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