Dad reveals simple maintenance hack to avoid having to call the plumber: 'So much easier than I thought'

Before you call a plumber, check out this TikToker's tried-and-true hack. 

If your sink is starting to give off a particularly unpleasant stench or, worse, you've dropped something precious into it, check out this tip. Handyman Bo (@dadadvicefrombo) shares advice on how to clean out a clogged sink drain.

@dadadvicefrombo

P-Trap is a pipe that catches grease/debris and is designed to prevent the sewage smell from coming up into your sink. It's a good idea to clean it out once a year or more so you keep things flowing and prevent buildup. Love, Dad

♬ original sound - DadAdviceFromBo

The scoop

Bo illustrates the simplicity of how a sink drain works, pointing out that there is a U-bend in the sink pipe called a P-trap to hold water. This is supposed to keep any smells from the sewer from coming out of the sink but can occasionally become clogged or catch items that fall into the sink.

After setting a bowl under the area to catch any water, Bo unscrews the nut holding the pipe together and slid off the U-shaped piece, releasing all the gunk that was trapped in that area.

After taking the pieces to a different sink, everything can be cleaned with natural, nontoxic cleaners and easily put back together. Bo also demonstrates how there might be something called a slip nut or simply a threaded nut to screw the P-trap back into the plumbing.

How it's helping

Whether your sink isn't draining properly, is emitting an odd smell, or an earring or ring has slipped out of your grasp and down into the drain, hiring a plumber for a fix could set you back hundreds of dollars.

"It's a good idea to clean it out once a year or more so you keep things flowing and prevent buildup," Bo added in the caption. Preventative cleaning can also help save you time down the line. 

Unfortunately, common household products for unclogging drains are toxic and can have severe effects on the environment. Even plumbers don't recommend using drain-unclogging products because they are so harsh that they can erode pipes, causing leaks. These extremely corrosive chemicals are then expelled into the environment, contaminating water sources and aquatic ecosystems.

By taking Bo's advice, you can save money on a plumber and avoid toxic products. Instead, clean using natural ingredients — such as baking soda and vinegar — you probably already have in your home. Even if you can't reach the drain's P-trap, as is the case with a shower drain, you can still clean it out with natural products on a regular basis to prevent bigger clogs.

Check out other useful tips and tricks with TCD's cleaning guide.

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What everyone's saying

"Just cleaned my P-trap following your tips, and it was so much easier than I thought! Thanks for the trick," one commenter said.

Another wrote: "Thank you so much for this tip. Just cleaned out the one [in] my bathroom sink."

"I just cleaned all of mine, I couldn't have done this without your advice," someone else said.

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