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Electric garbage disposals have made it easy to get rid of food waste and kitchen scraps. However, plumbing pipes and garbage disposals aren’t designed to safely handle some waste matter like coffee grounds.
Unfortunately, most people dump them down the drainage. Coffee grounds have fine consistency, making them easy to stick onto other debris existing within the pipes. Consequently, they obstruct the drainage or enlarge the existing clog.
Luckily, clearing clogs resulting from coffee grounds isn’t difficult. You can actually save some money by doing it yourself. Our reliable and professional local plumbing team in Sydney have put together a list of steps to follow below.
Here’s how to fix a drain clogged by coffee grounds:
Plunging the Sink
Step 1
First, place a plunger over the sink drain opening. Fill the affected sink with water such that the plunger’s cup is submerged in the water.
Step 2
If your sink features a double design, you should seal the other sink drain opening with a rubber sink drain stopper. If you don’t have a stopper, you can seal it with a small piece of towel.
Step 3
Next, hold the plunger by its handle while ensuring the cup keeps the sink drain opening fully covered. Plunge the sink by pushing the plunger downward and pulling it upward for at least 10 times or until the sink drains the water smoothly.
Clearing the Sink P-trap
In most cases, sink clogs occur in the trap. The sink P-trap is U-shaped and comprises of a piece of pipe. You can find it below the sink.
If plunging fails to dislodge the clog, then you’ll need to remove the trap to clear the stubborn coffee grounds.
Step 1
Locate the sink P-trap. Place a bucket beneath the trap to catch any water that may spill when opening it.
Step 2
Upon locating the trap, loosen the nuts connecting it to the drain line from both ends. In case the pipe is metallic, loosen the nuts with a wrench.
You’ll need to turn them counterclockwise to loosen them. In case the pipe is made of plastic, then loosen the nuts with your hands by turning them counterclockwise.
Step 3
Next, pull the trap from the pipe. Ensure the bucket is positioned in such a way that it will collect any content that may fall from the trap or drain pipes.
Step 4
Inspect the trap and remove any obstructions in it. You can remove the obstructions with your hands upon wearing a pair of gloves.
Alternatively, use something sturdy and pointed like a screwdriver or metallic rod to remove the obstructions. Rinse the trap thoroughly to remove all the obstructions.
Look through the pipes that connect the trap from the affected sink to the main drain line to make sure that there are no blockages left behind.
Step 5
You can now reattach the sink P-trap. Simply tighten the trap connections by rotating the nuts clockwise. Upon attaching the trap in place, test whether the blockage is completely removed by turning on the sink faucet.
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