Few things ruin a Sunday faster than a sink that will not drain. Or a shower that fills up around your ankles. Or a kitchen tap that gurgles and refuses to swallow another drop of water. Most people reach straight for the phone and book a plumber — and pay 80 to 200 euros for a 15-minute visit. But almost every household blockage can be cleared with things already sitting in your kitchen cupboard. We have gathered 15 of the best plumber’s tricks — the simple, safe, and surprisingly powerful methods that quietly unclog any drain in your house, sometimes in less than ten minutes.
Start With Boiling Water — Always
Before you reach for anything else, put the kettle on. Pour two or three full kettles of boiling water slowly down the drain in small bursts. Wait thirty seconds between each pour. Hot water alone melts soap, grease, and the soft fat that quietly builds up on the inside of every kitchen pipe. Plumbers say this single trick clears nearly half of all kitchen sink blockages on its own. It costs nothing. It takes five minutes. And it works on almost any drain that is not completely solid.