A kitchen clog is different from a bathroom one because the main culprit is grease. And it grows not in the trap but all along the pipe walls to the stack. That is why a plunger and "Krot" sometimes punch through, only for the blockage to return a week later.
Why the kitchen blocks "on purpose"
- Hot greasy water flows down the pipe and cools inside — grease settles on the walls in a thin layer.
- Within a year or two the pipe diameter narrows by half, even if you only wash plates and cups.
- Grease catches food scraps, grains, coffee grounds, forming a dense plug.
- If there is a disposer in the sink, finely ground organic matter goes into the drain and clumps again in water.
What to try before calling a plumber
- Remove and wash the sink trap. Place a bucket, unscrew the nuts, take out the trap "cup" and wash it with hot water and dish soap.
- Pour hot water with dish soap. Only into a metal pipe. Into PVC — hot tap water only.
- Baking soda + vinegar. Half a cup of soda + a cup of vinegar, cover the drain, wait 15 minutes, flush with hot water. Works on fresh grease plugs.
- Plunger over the drain; if there is a drain in the adjacent sink section, plug it — otherwise all the air escapes there.
If that fails, mechanical cleaning of the pipe is next, and if that does not hold long enough, hydro jetting.
How the plumber works
- Opens and cleans the trap, checks its condition.
- Runs an electric snake from the sink toward the stack. Typical length — 8–15 m.
- If the snake "slips" through an empty pipe but water still does not flow, the problem is in the wall grease layer. Then hydro jetting is needed.
- Removes and cleans the air admittance valve if the blockage makes gurgling sounds across the apartment.
Prices in Israel
- Kitchen sink clearing with a snake — ILS 250–450
- Trap replacement — ILS 200–350 (labour) + ILS 40–150 for the trap itself
- Hydro jetting of a section — from ILS 600
- Evening or Shabbat emergency — +30–80%
How to prevent it in the future
- Do not pour hot oil or fat into the sink. Save it in a jar and bin it. This is the main tip everyone seems to ignore.
- Use a strainer in the drain — it catches grains, peels, fibres.
- Once every 1–2 months run a kettle of boiling water with dish soap through — removes the thin grease layer.
- Once a year use an enzyme- or bacteria-based gel (bio products) — slow but safe for PVC.
Frequently asked
We cleared the clog, but two weeks later it is blocked again — why?
Because the snake goes through the grease layer without scraping it off the walls. The next time it builds up faster — the diameter is already smaller. The fix is a proper hydro jetting — after that you can forget about cleanings for a couple of years.
Does baking soda with vinegar help?
At an early stage (water drains slowly, but drains) — yes, once a month preventively. Once the plug is full and water stands in the sink — not really, the reaction does not reach it.
We have a double sink, only one side is blocked — why?
The blockage is in the trap of that one section or in the flex line up to the common tee. Often it is enough to remove just that trap — nothing else needs to be touched.
The washing machine drains into the kitchen sink — can that cause clogs?
Yes, if the machine drain is connected to the sink pipe incorrectly (without an air gap, with a sag, straight into the side). Discuss moving the drain point or installing a check valve with the plumber.