Kitchen Sink Blocked? Try This Before Calling a Plumber (Luxembourg)
The #1 Drain Call We Get in Luxembourg
Kitchen sinks block more than any other drain. The culprit is almost always grease + coffee grounds + food particles building up in the trap or horizontal pipe run.
Try These First (In Order)
1. Boiling water + dish soap Pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain, wait 2 minutes, then squirt dish soap and pour another kettle. Works for fresh grease blockages.
2. Baking soda + vinegar
- 1 cup baking soda down the drain
- 1 cup white vinegar
- Cover with a plug, wait 15 minutes
- Flush with hot water
3. Plunger (the cup type) Fill the sink with 5cm of water. Block the overflow with a wet rag. Plunge firmly 10–15 times. This often dislodges soft blockages.
4. Clean the trap (P-trap) yourself Place a bucket under the sink, unscrew the curved pipe by hand, empty and clean it, screw back. Most kitchen blockages are right here.
When To Call Us
- The water doesn't drain at all after trying the above
- Water backs up into the dishwasher
- Multiple sinks/drains are slow at the same time
- You smell sewage
- The blockage returns within days
These point to a blockage deeper in the line — past your trap, in the horizontal run, or in the main stack.
What We Do
- Motorized snake for blockages 2–15m in
- High-pressure water jetting for grease-coated pipes
- Camera inspection if it keeps recurring (often reveals a sagging or damaged pipe)
Prevention
- Never pour grease, oil, or fat down the sink — wipe pans with paper towel first
- Run hot water for 30 seconds after every dishwashing
- Monthly: boiling water + baking soda flush
- Install a sink strainer — €5, saves hundreds
Cost in Luxembourg
- Motorized snake unblock: €110–€180
- Hydrojetting: €180–€350
- Camera inspection: €120–€200
Stuck? Call +352 27 58 58 25 — same-day drain cleaning across Luxembourg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are chemical drain cleaners safe for kitchen pipes?
We don't recommend them. Products like Destop work on hair but are less effective on grease, and they damage PVC seals and chrome traps over time. Mechanical methods (plunger, snake, trap cleaning) are safer and more effective.
Why does my kitchen sink keep blocking?
Grease is almost always the cause. Even if you don't pour oil down the drain, residue from washing dishes coats the pipes. Recurring blockages may also indicate a sagging horizontal pipe — a camera inspection will reveal this.
Can I use a wire coat hanger to unblock my sink?
It can work for soft blockages near the trap, but you risk scratching pipes or pushing the blockage deeper. Cleaning the P-trap manually is safer and usually more effective.