Kitchen sink won't drain

Anne Pilaro
by Anne Pilaro
My kitchen sink is not draining. The garbage disposal stopped working about a month ago, but everything was draining fine (I have a wire mesh basket to prevent 'stuff' going down the drain) until a week ago. Now the dishwasher backed up into the sink, and it won't drain at all. I have tried snaking the drain, the Drano made for disposals, and using the Allen wrenches to turn the blades and unjam the disposal, with no progress. Any hints on what else I can try? The disposal is being replaced this summer when the kitchen is remodeled, and I hate to call a plumber unless I really need to. Advice would be greatly appreciated!
  9 answers
  • Gkbrooks Gkbrooks on Mar 30, 2015
    put some baking soda in the drain then dump some vinegar, repeat will foam up and clean out learned this at a restaurant I worked at. Plus no chemicals
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Mar 30, 2015
      @Gkbrooks Thank you for your advice - I tried the baking soda and vinegar, followed by a gallon of boiling water. The drain is still running slowly, but at least it is draining again. I will try this again tomorrow morning and leave it all day while I'm at work, and see where that gets me.
  • Handy Lady Red Handy Lady Red on Mar 30, 2015
    Put a pan under the u bend then take it loose it sounds like it's clogged, the dishwasher backing up tells me to start there. Your sink not draining and you tried the other things says u bend too.
    • See 3 previous
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Mar 31, 2015
      Thanks again! I only have one sink with the disposal, and plunging did help a little. The sink is full of the baking soda and vinegar again today while I'm at work, and I'll pour the boiling water on it tonight and see where that gets me.
  • Ruth  Nederlk Ruth Nederlk on Mar 30, 2015
    Tried that also when I had he same drain problem. I do not have a garbage disposal but had the drain problem Had to get a plumber when all those other things didn't work. Solution! Pipes under sink all clear .In the end he found the pipe going out from the basement was plugged with some yukky black stuff. He snaked it out real good and everything is working great now. We may have one difference in our plumbing though. I am on a septic system. You could have the same problem even on a sewer system ?
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Mar 30, 2015
      Thanks, Ruth! I am on sewer and did have a sewer main backup in December 2014, but at the time the kitchen sink was running fine and so its line was not snaked. I'm going to try everyone elses' suggestions first, but if all else fails at least you told me where to have the plumber look!
  • Sscogbill Sscogbill on Mar 30, 2015
    Once you used the allen wrenches to turn the blades, did you push the reset button on the disposal? When it jams you need to both free up the blades then reset the button. Also, have you tried laundry detergent in the sink? You add a couple of cups of detergent along with a cup of fabric softener, let it set overnight and see if it has drained. Often times this works, if the water drains, put a cup of baking soda in the drain, add a cup of vinegar, let it bubble for a while and follow with a tea kettle of boiling water.
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Mar 30, 2015
      @Sscogbill Thank you for your comment. Did the reset button, even went as far as to flip the breaker switch and the disposal is still not working. Tried the vinegar and baking soda, and the sink is draining, but slowly. I'll try the laundry detergent next, if round 2 of the vinegar/baking soda doesn't clear it.
  • Lois Franklin Lois Franklin on Mar 30, 2015
    I read years ago that pouring a cup or two of bleach into your drains at night and letting it sit will clean up your drains. The bleach will eat through hair, grease or whatever. I made the mistake of pouring straight lye (eats through anything, right? Wrong!) into my kitchen drain and it turned hard as concrete! My son used a smaller pipe to run thru the line and freed it up but it was a lesson learned! I would do a little research to make sure it doesn't harm the disposal before using the bleach but I can't imagine it hurting it if you just pour it slow (so it doesn't rush out the other end before it has time to doing the job). Also, if you are on septic instead of city sewer, don't use bleach. Bad for the septic system since it also kills the bacteria needed to keep that working!
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Mar 30, 2015
      Thanks, @Lois Franklin! When all else fails, reach for the bleach! I'll make this step my last resort, before giving up and calling a plumber ;)
  • C C on Mar 30, 2015
    I had the exact same problem and tried everything but until you replace your disposal the problem won't go away. The disposal is tied to the same water line/flow/drain as the dishwasher and sink drain. Replace the disposal and you fix the problem. BTW, it is fairly easy to replace a disposal yourself. Google instructions online and invest in buying a decent disposal (reading reviews of them on Amazon beforehand really helps) for the same money you would pay for a plumber. Don't wait to fix it because the backed up disposal/drain lines will start leaking and cause even more headaches for you.
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Mar 30, 2015
      @C Thanks! The kitchen is being remodeled this summer and I already have a new disposal, I just don't want to put it in this crummy old sink. If it comes to that, I'll just have to see if the contractor can get started earlier on my kitchen than planned.
  • Donna Bennett Donna Bennett on Mar 30, 2015
    Try pushing the red button on bottom of disposure and reset it.
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Mar 30, 2015
      @Donna Bennett Thanks for your advice. We did try the reset button with no results, but the vinegar and baking soda treatment did remove some of whatever the blockage was. @ Will try another round of that, then the two other tips before I give up and call for professional help. ;)
  • Sandra Evans Stephens Sandra Evans Stephens on Apr 02, 2015
    Make sure that nothing is blocking the air stack. I know that sounds weird, but I had the same problem once and found out there was a bird nest in the air stack
    • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Apr 02, 2015
      @Sandra Evans Stephens Thanks! I had not thought of that, and will have to check this weekend.
  • Anne Pilaro Anne Pilaro on Apr 07, 2015
    Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. The disposal still won't run, but the sink is draining normally after 1) two rounds of baking soda, vinegar and boiling water; 2) one round of Tide w Bleach plus Downy, followed by boiling water, and 3) a good soak over the weekend with 2 cups of bleach, followed by hot running water for 10 minutes. Ran the dishwasher last night, and NO backups! Thanks again for all of your support! :~)