Short answer
Pull the pop-up stopper out and clean the hair off it. That clears most bathroom sink clogs. If the water is still slow, plunge with a cup plunger while a wet rag seals the overflow hole, then try a plastic barbed drain strip. Still stuck? Clean the P-trap over a bucket, and use a hand snake for anything past it. No chemicals needed.
Start with the stopper
The pop-up stopper sits in the drain, and on most lift rod drains a horizontal pivot rod passes right through the pipe below it. Hair catches on both, soap glues it together, and the opening shrinks. Both HomeServe and Ask the Builder point to the stopper as the usual culprit, which is why it comes first here.
Some stoppers lift straight out. Others hook onto the pivot rod and need a small job under the sink to free. How to remove a sink stopper covers every type, including push button and lift-and-turn stoppers.
What you need
- Cup plunger a small flat-bottomed sink plungerFind it
- Plastic barbed drain strip a cheap, disposable hair grabberFind it
- Bucket and old towels for the water in the trapFind it
- Hand snake about 1/4 in cable for bathroom drainsFind it
- Rubber gloves and a rag the rag seals the overflow
- Slip-joint pliers only if the nuts will not turn by hand
How to unclog a bathroom sink, step by step
Pull out the pop-up stopper
Try lifting or twisting the stopper out by hand first. If it will not come free, clear the cabinet, put a towel down, and loosen the pivot nut on the back of the drain pipe under the sink. Pull the pivot rod back an inch or two and the stopper lifts out.
Clean the stopper and the drain opening
Pull the hair and slime off the stopper with a gloved hand or paper towel. Scrub it with an old toothbrush and hot soapy water. Shine a flashlight into the drain and pull out anything you can reach. Run hot tap water for a minute. If it drains freely, refit the stopper and the pivot rod and you are done.
Plunge with the overflow sealed
If the water is still slow, leave the stopper out and put an inch or two of water in the bowl. Press a wet rag firmly over the overflow hole near the rim, which The Home Depot recommends so the pressure goes into the clog. Center a cup plunger over the drain and pump with short, sharp strokes a dozen times, then pull it off sharply.
Run a plastic barbed strip down the drain
Push a plastic drain strip down the drain as far as it goes, wiggle it, and pull it straight up slowly. The barbs grab hair the stopper did not catch. Repeat until it comes up clean, then flush with hot tap water.
Remove and clean the P-trap
Put a bucket under the trap. Unscrew the two slip nuts by hand, or gently with pliers on plastic, and lower the curved section. Empty it, clear the gunk with a gloved finger or brush, and check the slip washers. Refit it hand tight plus a little more.
Snake the trap arm
With the trap off, feed a hand snake into the pipe going into the wall. When you feel resistance, lock the cable and crank it to grab or break up the clog, then pull back slowly and wipe the cable as it comes out. Refit the trap.
Test for flow and leaks
Run hot tap water for a few minutes, then fill the bowl partway and let it drain. Wipe each slip nut and the pivot nut with a dry paper towel. Snug any nut that weeps a quarter turn at a time.
Why bathroom sinks clog
A kitchen clog is mostly grease and food. A bathroom clog is mostly hair, plus soap, toothpaste and shaving residue that bind it into a mat. The pop-up stopper and pivot rod sit right in the flow, so they collect it before it ever reaches the P-trap.
That is also why a bathroom sink often slows gradually instead of stopping all at once. If yours drains slowly but still drains, see how to fix a slow sink drain: the cause can be a stopper set too low rather than a clog.
Bathroom sink drain snakes
A bathroom sink drain snake is a thin cable, usually about 1/4 inch, in a hand crank drum. It is small enough to pass the bends in a 1-1/4 inch bathroom drain. Two ways to use one:
- From the top, with the stopper out. Easy, but the pivot rod can block the cable on a lift rod drain. Pull the pivot rod out first.
- From the trap arm, with the P-trap off. This skips the stopper, the pivot rod and the trap bends, and puts the cable right where a deeper clog sits.
If a hand snake will not reach it, compare larger tools in the best drain cleaners and snakes, or call a plumber.
Keep it from coming back
- Pull and rinse the stopper every few weeks. It takes two minutes once you know how.
- Use a hair catcher that sits in or over the drain. See the options in the sink drain strainer guide.
- Run hot tap water for a bit after shaving or brushing.
- If the stopper or its linkage is worn or corroded, a replacement stopper or a full pop-up drain is a simple swap you can do yourself.
What about chemicals and home remedies?
Caustic cleaners can break down hair, but they are hazardous, they must never be mixed with another product, and if they fail you are left with a drain full of chemical. Follow the label exactly if you use one. Baking soda and vinegar will not dissolve a hair clog; read the honest take on baking soda and vinegar before you try it.
Questions people ask
How do I unclog a bathroom sink without chemicals?
Pull and clean the stopper first, since most bathroom clogs are hair and soap on or just below it. Then plunge with the overflow sealed, run a plastic barbed strip down the drain, and clean the P-trap by hand. A hand snake handles anything past the trap.
Why does my bathroom sink keep clogging?
Hair and soap build up on the pop-up stopper and its pivot rod, which sit right in the path of the water. Pulling and rinsing the stopper every few weeks, or using a hair catcher, stops most repeat clogs.
Why seal the overflow when plunging a sink?
The overflow hole near the rim connects to the drain below the stopper. If it is open, the plunger just pushes air and water out of it instead of into the clog. A wet rag pressed over it keeps the pressure where you want it.
Can I use a drain snake on a bathroom sink?
Yes, but take the stopper out first, or feed the snake in from the trap arm with the P-trap removed. A thin hand snake of about 1/4 inch is the usual size for a bathroom sink.
Does Drano work on a bathroom sink clog?
Chemical cleaners can dissolve hair, but they are hazardous and you will be working on a drain full of chemical if they fail. Follow the label exactly, never mix products, and never plunge or snake a drain with chemical cleaner in it. Pulling the stopper is usually faster.
When should I call a plumber for a bathroom sink?
If the trap is clean and a hand snake will not get through, or if the tub, toilet or other sinks back up or gurgle when this sink drains. That points to a clog or vent problem further down the line.
Sources
Last reviewed October 12, 2026. Parts, sizes and listings change; check the product details before you buy, and follow the maker’s instructions.