Whether you own your home or are just renting, everyone ends up with a clogged drain on occasion. Calling in a plumber to take care of a job can be costly. There are several tried and true methods you can use before you call in a professional.

It is wise to have some kind of drain cleaner on hand and to use it regularly to clean your pipes. This will prevent a completely clogged drain.

Apart from a drain cleaner, you should have some handy tools which you can use in an emergency situation. A common tool that can help you during a clogged drain is a plunger. You can get it from any hardware store near by your place. It works on the principle of suction and pressure to clear the clog.

Using a plunger is not a rocket science. Position it over the clogged drain. The sink should be filled with some water. Move the plunger up and down several times. When you notice that the water starts flowing easily out of the sink, this indicates that the drain has been cleared.

As mentioned above, having a chemical drain cleaner can be very helpful in such a situation. But be sure that you use these substances very carefully, otherwise they can be very harmful. Do follow all the instructions mentioned on the bottle. Put the cleaner in the drain and leave it over night. Then rinse it. If you still find blockage in the drain, pour good amount amount of very hot water in to it and repeat the process.

If by chance the above methods fail, you can check the U-trap. This is a part of the pipe that is shaped like a “U” and is located under the sink. There will be a plug that you can unscrew with a wrench. Be sure to have a bucket to catch excess water. Take a piece of wire to scrub the inside of the trap, put new gaskets on to maintain a watertight seal.

Drain auger (or a snake) is another tool that can be used to unclog pipes and drains. Generally a ten feet auger is suitable for the homes and can be acquired from any hardware shop. These can go deep down the pipe and can catch the clog.

If none of the above methods work for you, it’s time to call a professional plumber as there might be some complicated issue and is better to leave it for the experts.