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Maybe you’ve been using the garbage disposal and washing dishes in the sink and you go to drain the water and…it doesn’t drain. What do you do?
The distinguishing feature on a sink clog is whether both sides of the sink are backed up or only one side. If it is only one side, than the issue is probably related to the garbage disposal rather than the entire sink’s drain line. Although, if you have been washing dishes on the non-disposal side of the sink, it may be that the sink strainer is clogged with debris.
For the disposal, there is a discharge pipe that comes off of it’s side that leads to the trap. This is where you need to start. You probably have already turned on the disposal and swirled the water, but noticed that nothing happens.
Place a large bucket underneath the discharge pipe because the entire contents of the sink will soon be flowing into it. Unscrew the trap from the discharge pipe (you may have another section of piping here depending on the distance). You will start to get a slow flow of water. The source of the clog should be at the end of the discharge pipe as it exits the side of the disposal. You can stick your finger in there to try to dislodge it. When you do this you will start getting a lot of water flowing out. Let the water flow into the bucket until the sink is drained. Then you can remove the piping and fish out whatever object is causing the blockage. Make sure nothing else is blocking the drain downstream of the pipe and then reassemble it.
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