How to Unclog the Rv Kitchen Sink?-[9 Proven Methods]

Are you disgusted with the greasy slime, hair, food debris, and other unpleasant matter clogged in your RV kitchen sinks? Don’t worry. Don’t worry.

Almost everyone experiences a clogged drain at some point. Fortunately, there are ways to unclog the RV kitchen sinks effortlessly using minimal products. 

RVs are an ideal means of exploring the world for people and families who want to experience the open road. Buying an RV or recreational vehicle and making it functional needs proper equipment and appliances. One of them is having a perfect RV kitchen sink and maintaining it. 

When it comes to maintenance, go for stainless steel or plastic RV kitchen sinks. RV kitchen sinks come in a variety of types. If you plan RV vacations almost every weekend, the ideal option for you is a stainless steel kitchen sink as it proves to withstand everyday wear and tear. Plus, it is easiest to clean and demands low maintenance. 

Even if we clean and maintain the sink regularly, it is possible to clog it with things, such as hair, leftover food, and other greasy things. Now, obviously, this clogging needs unclogging. We have researched and narrowed it down to the best methods that can be used to unclog an RV kitchen sink.

This article has a list of the 9 best and most effective ways to unclog your RV kitchen sinks. 

9 Ways to Unclog an Rv Kitchen Sink

In an RV sink, a clog will cause a bad smell, which can be very annoying when traveling. The only way to stop the unpleasant odor and have a healthy sink, unclog the RV sink. The following methods might come in handy for you if you ever need to clean your kitchen sink. 

Note -You may need to use more than one method to unclog your RV sink.

Now, let us directly dive in and understand what methods can be used to unclog RV kitchen sinks. 

Baking Soda and Vinegar 

One of the safest and easy methods is using baking soda and vinegar. You might be aware that baking soda and vinegar is the most recommended method for cleaning. It can clean stains and drainpipes from your RV sinks and even from other sink types.   

If your RV kitchen sinks are clogged, follow the instructions below

Step 1 -Take around ⅓ cup of baking soda in a bowl. 

Step 2 -Take about the same amount of vinegar and combine it with the baking soda. 

Step 3 -The mixture will start to fizz. Once the fizzing starts, pour the baking soda + vinegar mixture down the sink drain. 

Step 4 -Allow an hour to pass after pouring the mixture. 

Step 5 -Now, run at least a jug of hot water through the drain to remove traces of the mixture and oil/grease stuck to the drainpipe. 

Step 6 -Then, pour some cold/normal water to check whether the sink is unclogged. If not, try out the following method. 

Baking Soda, Salt, and Hot Water

While baking soda works amazingly with vinegar, sometimes, it may give you desired results. In such cases, you can switch to baking soda with salt.

The steps to use this mixture is, 

Step 1 -In a bowl, add about a half cup of baking soda and a half cup of salt. 

Step 2 -Drop this mixture into the sink drain. 

Step 3 -Allow it to sit in the drain for 15-20 minutes.

Step 4 -Now, pour enough boiling water into the sink drain, and you will have an unclogged kitchen sink. 

Salt, Vinegar, and Hot Water Solution

Another method of unclogging your RV kitchen sink using home products is a solution of salt, vinegar, and hot water. 

Step 1 –Fill up a container with enough hot water 

Step 2 -Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of salt and two cups of vinegar in that hot water container.

Step 3 -Now, pour this solution down the sink drain slowly. 

Step 4 -Once you see the dirt and debris wearing off the sink drain, run some more hot water to clean it thoroughly.

Hot Water

Hot water is yet another effective method that helps to clean and unclog the sink drains. Hot water successfully removes oil, grease, or other food particles sticking to the drainpipes. 

For this to work, 

Step 1 -Bring two or three large cups of water to boil. 

Step 2 -Simultaneously, disconnect the drain grates, sink strainers, and caps from your RV sink. 

Step 3 -Pour the boiling water through your sink drain carefully. 

Tip -Try to use this method at night when your sink will not be in use for enough time.

Plunger 

Another easy yet affordable method is a sink plunger to unclog RV kitchen sinks. 

Note -Ensure that you buy a sink plunger and not a toilet plunger. Both of the plungers are different from each other. 

Step 1 -Buy a sink plunger from your local store or online. 

Step 2 -Plunge the sink drain with the plunger now. 

Step 3 -Start plunging it up and down.  

Step 4 -Do it several times. 

Step 5 -After plunging, run some water through your draining pipe and check if the water is draining.

Drain Snakes

Apart from the plunger, you also have drain snakes otherwise called drain auger, is readily available at your local hardware store to help you unblock the RV sink. Another name for a drain snake is drain auger. The spiral drain snake is roughly 0.25 inches thick and spirals into the sink without a hitch.

The steps to use drain snakes are, 

Step 1 -Begin by pushing the end of the drain snake inside the sink drain. 

Step 2 -Push it down until you feel resistance from the clogged sink. 

Step 3 -Move the snake up and down to free the clogs.

Step 4 –Do it until you do not feel the resistance. 

Step 5 -Lastly, run normal water through the sink drain. 

Drain cleaners 

If none of the organic methods didn’t unclog your kitchen sink, you can use commercial products such as drain cleaners. One of the effective and eco-friendly drain cleaners is Green Gobbler drain cleaner which is enzyme-based. Apart from Green Gobbler, another eco-friendly drain cleaner is Drainbo. 

An ample supply of bacteria is needed to break down waste in RV holding tanks. Hence, you shouldn’t completely kill everything with harsh soaps.

Step 1 -Buy any one of the natural drain cleaners.

Step 2 -Pour it down the sink drain carefully.

Step 3 -Give it time to show its effect. 

Note –Read the directions carefully since some drain cleaners require mixing with warm water before use.

Clean the drain pipe

Is your RV kitchen sink clogged even after using all the above methods? You suspect there is something wrong with the drain. And usually, the drain pipe is a typical source of clogging. In this case, you can disconnect the drain and clean the drain pipes manually. 

To clean the drain pipes, 

Step 1 -Start with closing the water supply of your RV kitchen sink. 

Step 2 -Open the faucets and allow them to drain residual water. 

Step 3 -Now, put a bucket under the drain pipe and unscrew the joint to detach it. Collect the residues in the bucket. 

Step 4 -Search the pipe for any clogs and remove them using a brush or a cleaning towel. 

Step 5 -Make sure to check the other pipes for signs of any clogs.  

Step 6 -Clean all the pieces, replace them, tighten everything, and restart the water. Just in case, it’s a good idea to use a chemical drain cleaner now.

Tip –Always wear gloves to avoid the unpleasant contents from the drain pipes getting onto your hands.

Call the professionals 

Have you tried all of the above, but your RV sink is still clogged? There’s no need to worry about it. In such cases, call and seek professional assistance if your sinks continue to drain slowly. In certain situations, bacteria, fungi, or mold may be present in your RV, making it difficult to treat on your own.

Prevent clogs in your RV kitchen sink 

Now, you might think of ways to prevent rather than going through all the difficulty to unclog the kitchen sink. We got you. Here are some ways you can prevent clogs in your sinks. 

• Do not let food particles or hair enter your sink drain. 
• Place a sink strainer to keep dirt and debris away from your drain. 
• Try to clean galley tank regularly. 

RV maintenance tracker

It is crucial to track your RV maintenance to avoid future expenses and damages. There are a number of online apps that can help you monitor all your RV repairs and maintenance. Besides keeping all of your documents in one place, you’ll also get timely maintenance notifications so you can avoid costly repairs and possibly dangerous situations.

Unclogging the sink safely can be accomplished with the methods mentioned in the article. Though, try to prevent clogs in your sink to skip these methods and save time. Plus, track your RVs maintenance. 

Happy and Safe Cleaning!