What do you think is the most contaminated part of your house? If you guessed the bathroom, you’re right!
Now my next question is, what do you think is the most contaminated part of your bathroom?
Most people would think that the toilet seat is the most contaminated.
Well, bacteria and other germs don’t stick to one place, starting from the toilet seat to the bathtub and the sink.
The more germs and bacteria in your bathroom, the more chances there are of getting ill.
When you fall sick, do you ever blame the bathroom? Probably not! You end up thinking it is due to the food you ate out or the weather.
Sinks are essential accessories in a bathroom where you wash your hands and brush your teeth in the morning and night.
You open the tap and do all the things, and eventually, the water goes through a drain hole, which further has small holes in it.
We must have noticed that the purpose of side holes in the main hole is to prevent the sink from overflowing with water.
There is a collar surrounding the drain, coated in metal, and is made up of plastic, known as the flange.
You might be thinking why I am telling you boring facts that you might already know, but some people might not know this, and they are going to find out the first time.
Nothing stays forever! Likewise, the flange can be cracked and can even erode, causing water leakage from the sink.
Moreover, it should be cleaned too, so you must remove it and clean because germs and bacteria are likely to stick to metallic things.
Additionally, if water doesn’t drain and flood your bathroom with it, bad odors, moisture, and clogs are the most likely things to happen.
It might sound unpleasant, but it is not as bad as you might think.
Coming to the main point, this article will tell you how to remove a stuck bathroom sink drain flange by yourself.
Things you will need:
- Adjustable wrench
- Basin wrench
- Bucket
- Towel
- Pliers
- Screwdriver
Steps To Follow
You can follow these simple steps and do it yourself without any issue:
Step 1
Firstly, you should rotate the knobs clockwise under the sink to stop the water supply to the sink.
Afterward, it would help if you turned on the tap so that the remaining air pressure and water releases.
This was just the beginning; once you understand the entire process, it is just as simple and easy as this was.
Step 2
You don’t want to do something more than what you intend to, right? Why add more tasks of cleaning the floor when you can decently do the task without making your bathroom a big mess.
It would be best if you keep a container beneath the sink to make sure all the water droplets go in it rather than on the floor, making your bathroom unclean.
You can even put a towel under the sink to make sure water drippings get absorbed into the towel.
Step 3
After doing the first two steps, prepare yourself because starters are done, and now it’s time for the main course!
Keep tools near you. You will need pliers, screwdrivers, and penetrating oil (if necessary). Let’s dig into what comes next!
First of all, you should remove the retaining nut that is beneath the bathroom sink. You have to make sure that the retaining nut is not connected to the sink drain basket.
You can ask someone at your home to help you too. They can hold pliers in the sink drain basket while you remove that nut to ensure the sink drain basket remains at a halt.
Another question that might come to your mind is how you are going to remove the nut.
Here is your answer: Pair of channel locks pliers.
It is not necessary that the nut might come out quickly. I don’t know about the model you have and how old it is, so I will try to tell you everything that can be done.
If the sink drain basket spins at the same time when you are removing the nut, you will have to call someone amongst your family to hold the basket still; otherwise, you won’t be able to stop it from rotating on your own.
Moreover, if the basket is connected very tightly and you cannot remove it, you should put some penetrating oil and wait for a few minutes.
It will loosen up the stiffness, and then you can easily get hold of the nut.
Step 4
You will have to unscrew all nuts that connect to the water supply. You can do this by the use of adjustable wrench and basin wrench. You will have to rotate it counterclockwise this time.
Basin wrench will be used to unscrew two nuts on the tap post. A basin wrench is made explicitly for reaching nuts that are difficult to reach with other ordinary wrenches.
The screws you were just unscrewing hold the tailpiece and P-cap together.
You will have to be very careful while removing them! After you have unscrewed, you can dump the remaining water and slime in the bucket or the towel you placed.
If not, good luck then!
Step 5
Now you have reached the stage where you will get the bathroom sink drain flange in your hands.
It would be best if you had a grip over the sink drain flange while you are twisting the tailpiece to remove it.
After doing that, you will have a hold over the sink drain flange easily. It depends on how old it is. Some might come out automatically while some are attached to putty.
If it doesn’t come out automatically, then your task of removing the bathroom sink drain flange is not over yet.
Step 6
If the drainage flange doesn’t come off quickly, you will have to smash the plumbers putty using a hammer.
You can do this by going under the sink along with a hammer and a small board; then you could strike the board with the hammer hard enough to break it.
If stuck in the sink, you can cut around the perimeter of the sink flange with the help of an ordinary utility knife.
Again, I will say it depends on the type and age of that flange. Don’t do these things until not required.
Final Words
You might be surprised that it is so simple to remove bathroom sink drain flange all by yourself with a set of handy tools available at home.
Besides cleaning your bathroom, you should maintain hygiene and replace bathroom accessories after a short period.
There is no need to call outsiders to do this task. Cutting off your demand for plumbers will not save money that goes to their services when you can do the same without their help.
Now you are aware of all the steps about removing a bathroom sink drain flange and all the research is done, what are you waiting for?
It is time to show some action!
Read Also:
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