A stuck bathroom sink stopper is annoying, but it doesn’t mean you have to leave the house with a sink full of dirty, undrainable water waiting for you later. We’ve got the best quick fixes for a stuck stopper you can use to open up your drain in seconds, plus instructions on how to remove your stopper and clean it if getting stuck is a frequent problem for you. Read on to learn more!
Best Ways to Unstick a Sink Stopper
- Pull it up manually with your fingers, if possible.
- Use a suction cup or sink plunger to force the stopper up.
- Try latching onto the stopper with a rare earth magnet and pulling it up.
- Push and twist a popup stopper to make the spring mechanism open.
- Tap the edges of the stopper gently with a wooden spoon and a hammer.
- Detach the stopper from the pivot rod under the sink and lift it out to clean it.
Steps
Removing & Cleaning a Stuck Sink Stopper
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Get familiar with the different parts of a sink stopper assembly. Sink stopper mechanisms are pretty simple, but there may be some components you haven’t seen or heard of before. We’ll be using these terms to show you how to disconnect and remove a stuck sink stopper, so take a quick look to learn (or refresh your knowledge) about them: [7] X Research source
- The drain stopper is the fitting in the sink drain that blocks or opens the drain for water to flow through.
- The lift rod is the thin rod (usually behind the faucet) that you pull up and down to open and close the drain stopper.
- The lift rod connects to the top of a clevis strap , or a long and thin metal strip that usually has 5 to 8 holes in it.
- A pivot rod is a thin metal rod that goes from the back of the drain pipe through one of the holes on the clevis strap. It’s secured to the clevis strap with a spring clip (a U- or V-shaped metal strip with a hole in each end).
- A pivot nut holds the pivot rod to the drain pipe. A ball inside the nut allows the pivot rod to move smoothly up and down with the lift rod.
- If you have a popup stopper, the stopper and its spring-loaded assembly all fit inside of the drain. There is no lift rod, clevis strap, or pivot rod to worry about.
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Clear out the area under the sink so you can see and work easily. Remove any drawers, cleaning supplies, or other items from under the sink so you can clearly see all of the pipes, rods, and connections. You may need a flashlight or a lamp on the ground to help you see. [8] X Research source
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Disconnect the pivot rod from the clevis strap. Find where the pivot rod extends through one of the holes in the clevis strap. Squeeze the spring clip at the end of the rod that holds it in place, then slide the clip and clevis strap off of the pivot rod. Remember or make a note of which hole the pivot rod was originally going through (or take a picture before you disconnect it). [9] X Research source
- Set the clip aside to put back later. It’s OK to leave the clevis strap hanging from the lift rod.
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Remove the pivot rod and pivot nut. Place a bowl or bucket underneath the pipes in case any water spills out of the pivot rod connection. To take the rod off, twist the pivot nut (located on the back of your drain pipe) counterclockwise and slide it off the rod. If it won’t twist by hand, use a small wrench or pliers. [10] X Research source
- Once the nut is off, pull the entire pivot rod out of the drain pipe. You’ll see the ball that controls the rod’s motion as well as another section of rod that extends into the drain. This other end of the rod is what latches onto the drain stopper and pushes it up and down.
- Set the rod and nut aside.
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Pull or push the drain stopper out of the drain. Now that the stopper assembly is disconnected, you should be able to grab the stopper from above and pull the assembly out of the drain for inspection (if it was stuck in the open position). Wear some cleaning gloves for this since the stopper is likely to be covered in hair, soap scum, and other grime. [11] X Research source
- If you have a popup stopper or the stopper is stuck in the closed position,
you’ll have to remove the P-trap and push the stopper out of the drain from below:
- Keep a bowl or bucket underneath the pipes to catch any sitting water.
- Twist both of the slip nuts that hold the P-trap (a bent, U-shaped piece of pipe) in place and slide the pipe off. Empty and water sitting inside into the bucket.
- Use your fingers, a screwdriver, or another long and thin tool to reach up into the tailpipe (the portion of the drain extending straight downward) and dislodge the stopper upward. Once it’s knocked loose, grab it from above and lift it out of the drain.
- If you have a popup stopper or the stopper is stuck in the closed position,
you’ll have to remove the P-trap and push the stopper out of the drain from below:
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Clean your sink stopper and the drain. Since most stuck sinks toppers are caused by grime buildup or some kind of blockage deeper in the pipes, now is the time to clear out the gunk so your stopper works as it should. Pull off big chunks of hair and debris by hand, then use warm water and dish soap to wipe the stopper clean. If needed, soak it in soapy water for a few hours to loosen hard debris, then wipe it clean with a cloth. [12] X Research source
- Examine your pipes for hair, grime, or other debris too. If your P-trap is already removed, flush it with hot water or use a flexible cleaning rod to clear it out. Otherwise, use a drain snake to remove hair or a drain cleaning liquid to remove grimey buildup (for an eco-friendly and pipe-safe solution, you can make a natural drain cleaner with baking soda and vinegar).
- If you have a popup stopper, twist the stopper counterclockwise to detach it from the spring mechanism underneath. Use a clean cloth to wipe away any good or debris on the mechanism that may be causing it to get stuck (you may have to twist some of the pieces apart to get them fully clean—just remember how they fit back together!). [13] X Research source
EXPERT TIPProfessional PlumberJames Schuelke, along with his twin brother David, is the co-owner of the Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection company based in Los Angeles, California. James has over 32 years of home service and business plumbing experience and has expanded the Twin Home Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.Use a wet/dry vacuum to clean your drain. Take the stopper off the drain and put the vacuum hose right up against it. Turn the vacuum on to extract all of the organic matter, hair, soap scum, and other debris. The vacuum is a great way to clean any drain.
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Reassemble the sink stopper. Once the stopper and drain are clean and you’ve confirmed no pieces of the drain assembly are broken, it’s time to put everything back together. Reattach the P-trap if you had to remove it, then slide the stopper back into the drain (make sure the long plastic piece that the pivot rod catches is against the back of the drain). Replace the pivot rod into the drain pipe and tighten the pivot nut, then slide the end of the rod through the same hole in the clevis strap it was in before. Secure it with the spring clip.
- Test your stopper once everything is back together. Assuming everything is clean and undamaged, your stopper should move up and down without a problem!
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-remove-a-sink-stopper/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90112b01e44
- ↑ https://millerandsonsplumbing.net/how-can-i-remove-a-sink-stopper-if-its-stuck/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/neKnUDBC1ys?list=PLWeQZSOnzi9WN2tvTPChdhzXrt8abvz2N&t=129
- ↑ https://www.timrauschplumbing.com/what-to-do-when-your-sink-stopper-is-stuck-the-spruce
- ↑ https://youtu.be/neKnUDBC1ys?list=PLWeQZSOnzi9WN2tvTPChdhzXrt8abvz2N&t=39
- ↑ https://youtu.be/neKnUDBC1ys?list=PLWeQZSOnzi9WN2tvTPChdhzXrt8abvz2N&t=46
- ↑ https://www.lowes.com/n/buying-guide/bathroom-sink-parts-and-accessories
- ↑ https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-remove-a-sink-stopper/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90112b01e44
- ↑ https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-remove-a-sink-stopper/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90112b01e44
- ↑ https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-remove-a-sink-stopper/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90112b01e44
- ↑ https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-remove-a-sink-stopper/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90112b01e44
- ↑ https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-remove-a-sink-stopper/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90112b01e44
- ↑ https://youtu.be/vOwZXc-C93A?list=PLWeQZSOnzi9WN2tvTPChdhzXrt8abvz2N&t=134
- ↑ https://youtu.be/GXhhM3kKi9o?t=328
- ↑ https://www.1tomplumber.com/adjust-bathroom-sink-pop-up-drain/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/iyiGJ-uwmKU?t=36
- ↑ https://millerandsonsplumbing.net/how-can-i-remove-a-sink-stopper-if-its-stuck/
- ↑ https://millerandsonsplumbing.net/how-can-i-remove-a-sink-stopper-if-its-stuck/
- ↑ https://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infplumb/infpopup.html