A bathroom sink that drains slowly has one cause in nine out of ten homes: a plug of hair, toothpaste and soap scum wrapped around the stopper about 5 cm below the drain opening. You cannot see it, a plunger barely touches it and chemical drain cleaner slides past it. Pulling the stopper out and removing the clog by hand takes ten minutes and costs nothing. This guide shows you how to get the stopper out (there are three types and they all come out differently), what to do if the clog is deeper in the P-trap, and how to keep the drain clear for good.
Key takeaways
- Pop-up stopper (lever behind the faucet): unscrew the pivot nut under the sink, pull the rod, lift the stopper out.
- Lift-and-turn or push stopper (no lever): twist counter-clockwise and lift, or hold the base and unscrew the top.
- Pull the hair out with a plastic zip-tool ($3) or needle-nose pliers. This clears most clogs.
- Still slow? Remove the P-trap with a bucket underneath; it unscrews by hand.
- Skip chemical drain cleaners. They damage older pipes, and the clog is hair, which they barely dissolve.
- A hair catcher in the drain and a monthly hot-water flush prevent the whole thing.
Before you start
- Empty the vanity cabinet and put a towel and a bucket or basin under the drain.
- If you already poured chemical drain cleaner in, do not plunge or open the trap. Wait 24 hours and flush with lots of water first; the chemical splashes and burns.
- Tools: flashlight, needle-nose pliers, plastic drain-cleaning strip (the barbed zip tool), slip-joint pliers, an old toothbrush, and a bucket.
Step 1: Identify and remove the stopper
Type A: Pop-up stopper (lever or knob behind the faucet)
The lift rod behind the faucet connects to a horizontal pivot rod that passes through the drain tailpiece and hooks into the bottom of the stopper. The stopper will not lift out until that rod is released.
- Under the sink, find the pivot nut: a plastic or metal nut on the back of the drain tailpiece where the horizontal rod enters.
- Unscrew it by hand (or with pliers) and pull the pivot rod back out of the tailpiece. Some water will drip.
- From above, lift the stopper straight out. The hair plug usually comes with it.
- Some stoppers simply lift and twist off the rod without removing the nut. Try that first.
Type B: Lift-and-turn stopper
A knob on top that you turn to open and close. Open it, hold the base, and turn the top counter-clockwise until it unscrews from the post. Some need the whole stopper turned counter-clockwise in the open position and then lifted.
Type C: Push (click-clack, toe-touch) stopper
Push to open, push to close. Press it open, then unscrew the top cap counter-clockwise while holding the shaft still. The cap comes off, then the body lifts out or unscrews from the drain.
Type D: Grid or fixed strainer
No stopper, just a grid. It usually unscrews with a flat screwdriver or lifts out with a little prying. Vessel sinks often have this style.
Step 2: Remove the clog
- Pull the hair off the stopper and clean it with the toothbrush and dish soap. Note the black slime; that is biofilm and it smells, so clean the stopper thoroughly.
- Push the plastic zip tool down the drain as far as it goes, twist, and pull up slowly. The barbs grab hair. Repeat until it comes up clean.
- Reach in with needle-nose pliers to grab anything the tool missed at the top of the drain.
- Run hot water for a minute. If it drains freely, reinstall the stopper (Step 4). If not, go to Step 3.
Step 3: Clean the P-trap
The U-shaped pipe under the sink traps a little water to block sewer gas, and it also traps everything that gets past the stopper: hair, a ring, the cap of a toothpaste tube. Removing it takes five minutes and needs no tools if the nuts are plastic.
- Place the bucket directly under the trap.
- Loosen the two slip nuts, one where the trap meets the tailpiece from the sink and one where it meets the wall pipe. Turn them counter-clockwise by hand; use slip-joint pliers gently if they are stuck or metal.
- Pull the trap down and off. Empty it into the bucket and take it to another sink to rinse and scrub with the toothbrush.
- Look into the wall pipe with the flashlight. If there is a clog there, feed a small hand-crank drain snake in 1–2 m and crank while pushing, then pull back.
- Check the rubber or plastic washers in the slip joints. If cracked, replace them (a P-trap kit with new washers costs $8–$15).
- Reinstall the trap, hand-tighten the nuts plus a small nudge with the pliers, and run water while watching for drips.
Alternative methods (and how well they work)
| Method | Works on hair clogs? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Remove stopper + zip tool | Excellent | Fixes 90% of bathroom sink clogs. Start here. |
| Plunger (cup type) | Fair | Block the overflow hole with a wet rag first or you lose all the pressure. Can push hair further down. |
| Baking soda + vinegar + hot water | Poor on hair, good on soap scum | 1/2 cup soda, 1 cup vinegar, wait 30 min, flush with hot water. Nice for monthly maintenance. |
| Boiling water | Poor | Softens soap scum only. Do not use on PVC traps (can deform) or porcelain sinks (thermal shock). |
| Enzyme drain cleaner | Slow but real | Digests organic build-up overnight. Safe for pipes and septic. Prevention, not an emergency fix. |
| Chemical drain cleaner (lye, acid) | Partial | Damages old metal pipes and rubber washers, dangerous if you later open the trap, and hair barely dissolves. Not recommended. |
| Wet/dry vacuum | Good | Seal the hose over the drain with a rag, block the overflow, and suck. Often pulls the clog straight up. |
Step 4: Reinstall the stopper
- Pop-up: drop the stopper in with the loop at the bottom facing the back, slide the pivot rod back in so its ball sits in the socket and the tip passes through the loop, and tighten the pivot nut hand-tight. Test that the stopper opens and closes. If it does not seal, adjust the clevis strap (the flat bar with holes) on the lift rod under the sink.
- Lift-and-turn / push: screw the cap or body back on. Leave push stoppers slightly loose on the shaft so they can still "click."
- Run water for a minute and check under the sink for leaks at the pivot nut and trap.
If it is still slow: other causes
- Clogged overflow channel. The small hole near the rim connects to the drain. Gunk builds up inside. Pour hot water and a little dish soap into the overflow, or work the zip tool in.
- Blocked vent. If the sink gurgles and drains slowly along with the tub, the plumbing vent on the roof may be blocked (birds' nests, ice in winter). That is a plumber job.
- Old galvanized drain line. Homes built before the 1970s often have steel drain pipes that have rusted almost shut internally. Snaking helps briefly; replacement is the real fix.
- Clog beyond the trap. A 7.5 m drum snake from the trap arm reaches the stack. Rent one, or call a drain company ($150–$300 in Ontario).
Keeping it clear
- Fit a hair catcher or a stopper with a built-in basket. They cost $5–$15 and catch nearly everything.
- Once a month, pull the stopper and clean it. Two minutes, no tools once you know your stopper type.
- Monthly, pour a kettle of hot (not boiling) water down the drain, or use the baking soda and vinegar flush.
- Brush hair before washing it, and do not shave over the sink without running the tap.
- When you install a new vanity or faucet, choose a push-type or grid drain: fewer moving parts under the sink and much easier to clean than a pop-up with a pivot rod.
Upgrading the sink or faucet?
A new faucet usually comes with a new drain assembly, which is the moment to swap an old pop-up for a push stopper. If the vanity itself is water-damaged from years of leaks under the sink (swollen particleboard, peeling laminate), a new vanity with a solid-wood or HDF cabinet is a better investment than another repair. Our vanity sizing guide covers what fits.
Faucets and vanities at MyBath
Bathroom faucets with modern push drains, and solid-wood vanities from 24" to 72". Delivered across Ontario, free on orders over $600.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove a bathroom sink stopper that will not come out?
Look under the sink for the pivot nut on the back of the drain pipe. Unscrew it, pull the horizontal rod out, and the stopper lifts free. Lift-and-turn and push stoppers unscrew counter-clockwise from the top.
What is the best way to unclog a bathroom sink with hair?
Remove the stopper and pull the hair out with a plastic barbed drain tool or pliers. Chemicals and plungers do a poor job on hair.
Is it safe to use Drano in a bathroom sink?
It is legal, but not recommended. It corrodes old metal pipes and rubber washers, generates heat in a blocked trap, and is dangerous if you later need to open the trap. Mechanical removal is safer and works better on hair.
Why does my bathroom sink drain slowly even after cleaning the stopper?
The clog is in the P-trap or beyond, the overflow channel is blocked, or the vent is obstructed. Remove and clean the trap, then snake the wall pipe if needed.
Why does my sink smell even when it drains fine?
Biofilm on the stopper, in the overflow channel and in the trap. Clean the stopper, flush the overflow with hot soapy water, and pour a cup of baking soda followed by vinegar down the drain.
How much does a plumber charge to unclog a bathroom sink in Ontario?
Typically $120–$250 for a stopper and trap clean-out, $150–$300 if the line needs to be snaked. Doing it yourself costs a $3 zip tool.
