How To Unclog RV Kitchen Sink?

In an RV a clogged kitchen sink is a helpless feeling. What to do when due to clogged RV sink drain water is backing up and dirty dishes are waiting to be cleaned. Regular cleaning of the sink can help lengthen its life of the sink and also prevents clogging.

Even after regular cleaning, sometimes we face clogged sink drain issues in the RV kitchen. But don’t worry, most clogs can be unclogged by using some simple methods and tools. RV kitchen sink clogs are easy to address and by using the below methods it becomes easy to prevent them in the future. Let’s see how to unclog RV kitchen sink.

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What Are The Reasons For a Clogged RV Kitchen Sink?

The kitchen is a crucial part of the RV and it is their main cooking point when they are on any trip. So, when it gets clogged cleaning dishes becomes difficult. Before starting to repair the clogged sink, you should know the reasons for the clogged sink. So, you can apply the right method. Here are common reasons for the clogged RV kitchen sink.

Fat, Grease

grease in the sink

Most people pour liquid food debris into the sink drain. Those cooking ingredients that have a high amount of fat (such as oil, and grease) are in liquid form when you pour them into the sink drain.

But when these fatty ingredients come into contact with the inner cool part of the sink, they become hard. With time hardness increases and causes clog in the sink. So, you should avoid dumping any type of fat or grease into the RV kitchen sink.

Soap Scum

Fat is an essential element in many soaps. If you are using hard water in the RV kitchen then fat reacts with hard water and build-ups hard water deposits around the inner part of the sink. It blocks the way of water and the sink becomes clogged.

Scratch Foods

Some food debris is exposed when they come into contact with water. Rice, potatoes, pasta, and beans are the most common food that comes into the category of scratch foods. After exposure, they create a paste-like substance and stick it onto the inner wall of the drain pipe. So, dispose of these foods in the trash can to avoid clogging.

Coffee Grounds

coffee grounds

Coffee is a common drink. Many times a day people pour coffee into the sink. Coffee grounds are like scratch foods. It is mixed with water and blocks the flow of water into the sink pipe.

Food Debris

food debris

Food debris is a common reason for the clogged RV kitchen sink. People throw food debris like leftover rice into the sink when they clean dishes. Over time pieces of food, and debris may become trapped in the P-trap. A P-trap is a curved pipe under the sink.

Always throw food debris into the trash can. You can use garbage disposal for the sink to chop food debris into small parts so that without being trapped anywhere they come out from the sink drain.

How To Unclog RV Kitchen Sink?

Sometimes a single method doesn’t work so I use more than one method to remove the clog of an RV kitchen sink. Depending on the type of blockage time to clean it varies. Here are simple solutions which won’t require many tools and take less time.

Tip – Before starting to remove the clog, remove all standing water from the clogged sink. Put on rubber gloves and use a jug to bail out all standing water.

best way to unclog rv sink

1. Use Hand

You are lucky if the clog is right at the sink drain’s top. In this situation, you can use your hand to remove the sink clog. For safety use rubber gloves so will avoid any cuts on the hand. After cleaning the drain, pour water for around 1-2 minutes so it cleans the drain properly.

2. Pour Hot Water

boil water to unclog sink

For any type of clog in the RV kitchen sink, pouring hot water is the first step. This is a budget and a simple solution.

  • Fill a kettle or jug with water and boil it.
  • While water is boiling, remove standing water from the RV sink.
  • Now carefully pour hot water into the RV sink drain. Let the water sit in the drainpipe for a couple of minutes.
  • If water drains out properly without standing, it means the clog is cleared, and no need to follow other steps.
  • If water stands in the sink and doesn’t drain, it means the clog is not cleared.
  • Let the hot water cool so you can remove it.

3. Hot Water With Salt

If only hot water doesn’t work, use salt with it. Take a half cup of salt and pour it into the drain. Now pour boiling water down the drain. Let react the hot water with salt and leave it for a few minutes. After 15 minutes flush it with clean water.

4. Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar are not harmful to the sink. These are good to use in place of harmful store brought cleaners.

  1. First, pour baking soda (1 cup) down the drain.
  2. Now pour vinegar (1 cup) down the drain.
  3. Baking soda will react with the vinegar and let this mixture rest for around 1 hour in the sink drain.
  4. After one hour, pour hot water down the RV kitchen sink drain, If hot water completely comes out from the sink then there is no more clog in the sink.

5. Use Plunger

use plunger to unclog rv sink

The plunger is found in many houses. There are different types of plungers, you have to use a flat-bottomed plunger to remove the RV kitchen sink clog.

In all other methods, you need to remove all standing water from the sink but when you use a plunger, you have to keep one inch of water in the sink, it will create suction so the plunger will work properly.

The plunger will create a water-tight seal around the clogged kitchen sink drain. Now push and pull the plumber in an up-and-down direction. Repeat this step many times so the plunger removes the clog.

6. Use a Plumbing Snake

A plumber is also known as an auger. A plumber’s snake is a helpful easy-to-use tool that reaches hard reach the area of the sink.

When should you use a plumber snake to unclog the RV kitchen sink?

Take a look in the RV sink pipe and if you are not able to see any food debris, build-up, or any other obstructions then you should use a plumber snake.

The plumber’s snake has a coiled spiral snake shape. It has a handle at one end and its thickness is around ¼-inches. Its coil goes down into the deepest part of the drain. To pull the clog off the sink, the handle is cranked.

Disconnect the P-trap of the sink before using a plumber snake.

To collect any backup water, place a bucket under the sink. So, your RV is safe from any water mess on its floor.

Now insert the plumbing snake down the sink pipe and push it till you feel any resistance to further push it. When you feel, the plumbing snake has reached the clog of the sink, turn the crank clockwise and recoil the snake. You can repeat this process 2-3 times so all clogs come out. At last, pour hot water so the RV kitchen sink pipe is cleared fully.

Tip- If you don’t have a plumbing snake, you can use a coat hanger. Straighten the wire and push down it into the drain.

7. Clean The P-trap

clean p trap

The P-trap is a U shaped pipe under the sink. When you throw food debris down the RV kitchen sink, they are stuck in the p-trap pipe.

To clean it, you need to remove it. So, place a bucket under the p-trap to avoid a watery mess in the RV kitchen. Use an adjustable wrench to remove the p-trap. Now clean the p-trap using vinegar or hot water.

8. Baking Soda and Salt

Baking soda and salt are good products to unclog the RV kitchen sink. The salt quantity should be half of the baking soda. They will not clean the clog in a single try so you need to repeat this process 3-4 times.

So, instead of taking lots of quantities at once, take one cup of baking soda and half a cup of salt. Pour this mixture down the RU sink drain and let the mixture sit there for several hours. Now clean it with hot water.

Use This Drain Strainer To Prevent Clogging

sink drain strainer

Check also –

Are Chemical Cleaners Safe To Unclog RV Kitchen Sink?

Chemical cleaners can remove clogs from the RV kitchen sink but they are not good for the kitchen sink body. You should use the chemical cleaner only when all other methods are not working.

These toxic chemical cleaners can damage the body and paint of the sink. Along with damaging the sink body, these cleaners are also bad for health. They cause potential health hazards. These cleaners make stains on the sink body. So, you need to use these chemical stains remover methods.

What are the Symptoms of Clogged RV Sink In the Starting?

Slow drainage is the main symptom of the clogged RV sink. After using the sink, if water is taking time to drain fully, it means there is a clog in the sink. Currently, the clog is small so water is not fully stopped and draining slowly.

But with time, this clog will increase and water flow stops fully. Also, water back up in the sink during cleaning dishes is also a symptom of the clogged sink.

As soon as you find these symptoms, try to unclog the drain using the above methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is My RV Kitchen Sink Not Draining?

The clog sink pipe is the reason for the RV kitchen sink not draining. Food debris, grease, fat, oil, hair, har water build-ups are common reasons for a clogged RV sink pipe. You need to remove these things from the sink pipe so it again starts draining properly.

Can I Use Drano In My RV Sink?

Drano is a toxic cleaner that damages the sink. You should not use it to unclog the sink. Always use bio cleaners that are not harmful.

What To Use To Unclog Kitchen Sink In RV?

You can use baking soda, vinegar, hot water, plunger, plumber snake, etc. to unclog the kitchen sink RV. Pour equal parts of baking soda and vinegar into the sink every week so the sink will smell fresh and have less chance of clogging.

Is Bleach Good To Use Unclog the RV Kitchen Sink?

Bleach is a very toxic agent. You should not use it to unclog the RV kitchen sink. It will react to the pipe and damage its body. Bleach will remove some part of the clog from the sink. Instead of bleach use vinegar and baking soda. They are not harmful.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shared multiple methods to unclog the RV kitchen sink. All these methods are easy to use and also don’t make any bad impact on the sink body. Clean your sink regularly to avoid any potential clogging. Use a drain strainer to stop falling debris and food scraped into the RV kitchen sink.

2 thoughts on “How To Unclog RV Kitchen Sink?”

  1. Just for a side note. Yes, you may have clogged pipes but you may also need to pull lever to open grey water tank to drain your grey water tank. That is the very first thing you should check.

    Reply

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