How to Remove Bathroom Sink Stopper [9 Easy Steps]

The majority of people are aware of the problem of a blocked sink. The water takes longer to drain at first, but after a time, it requires even more time—particularly if you have an old garbage disposal or one that is built up.

If you run into any of these problems, the only option may be to remove the stopper from the drainpipe in order to unblock it.

The good news is that this is a simple procedure that anybody can accomplish with a few basic tools – and if you need to try, here’s how to remove a bathroom sink stopper.

If you’re looking for a sneak peek of what we’ll be discussing, you can also have a look at the following video before reading further.

To Remove a Bathroom Sink Stopper, You’ll Need the Right Tools

Before you try to remove the bathroom sink stopper, make sure you have the following items on hand. The following is a list of everything you’ll need.

• Wrench or pliers – A wrench or pliers is typically required to loosen a tightly fastened nut.
• Flashlight – A regular flashlight may come in useful because you might not be able to see what you’re doing beneath the sink with only a hand-held light.
• Brush (e.g. old toothbrush) – It’s not necessary to take out the sink stopper, but it might come in useful if you want to clean it.
• Regular detergent – If you want to clean the stopper, a variety of regular bathroom cleaning detergents will also assist.
• Vinegar – Vinegar is useful for cleaning the stopper; however, if you don’t have any on hand, it isn’t necessary.
• Bucket – A regular bucket. This is useful if the sink leaking when you take out the drain cover.
• Hair clog removal tool – When you’ve removed the stopper, a hair removal instrument may be used to remove any hair and slime that are obstructing the sink. These are low-cost tools comprised of a lengthy piece of plastic with hooks for removing hair from sinks.
• Drain cleaner liquid – Remove the stopper if necessary, then clean out any remaining gunk from the drainpipe before replacing everything.

Bathroom Sink Stopper Removal: A Step-By-Step Guide

Here are the stages you should take to remove the bathroom sink stopper once you’ve gathered all of your equipment and are ready to go.

Step 1. Take out the stopper by hand.

Some stoppers may be picked up with nothing more than your hands. Try lifting up the stopper and rotating it. This might be all you need to do it.

Step 2. Remove everything from beneath the sink.

If you can’t remove the stopper, you’ll need to get beneath the sink to release it – so now is a good time to empty everything that’s kept below the sink so you have adequate room to operate.

Step 3. Horizontal plunger rod

Take your flashlight and put it under the sink. You’ll need to find the horizontal rod that connects the stopper to the strap. It should be straightforward to spot – it’s a pole linked to the vertical strap, with holes in it.

Step 4. Locate the clip that connects the rod and strap.

When you’ve identified the rod and metal strap they’re linked to, a tiny metal clip will be visible.

Remove the clip from the rod and strap so that they are no longer linked, then store it in a safe place so it doesn’t go missing.

Step 5. Remove the pivot nut by hand.

The other end of the pole you just removed from the strap should be affixed to a pivot nut, and now you must remove it.

It’s a good idea to set a bucket beneath the sink now that you’ve loosened this nut.

Try to loosen the bolt with your hands once the bucket is in place. You may either have to use pliers or a wrench to remove it if it doesn’t come out easily.

Step 6. Remove the stopper.

The stopper should now be removed, allowing you to remove it manually from the sink.

You can also use warm water and a little dish detergent to clean the wheel after taking it out, before returning it. You may even want to clean it some more while it is outside, so soak the dandelion in the detergent and vinegar with some warm water before replacing it.

Step 7. Remove the hair with the hair remover.

To prevent clogging, you should remove any hair and grime from the hole before replacing the stopper. Use the hair remover tool to clear out any sluggish hairs and other debris from the sink.

Step 8. Drain-cleaning products should be used to wash them down.

If everything goes well, you may carefully reinsert the drainpipe plug. Before doing so, clean the drainpipe thoroughly, particularly if it was clogged previously.

Follow the directions on your drain cleaning solution and pour it down the drain. Leave it to work after pouring it in; flush it down with hot water after ten minutes or so.

The water should flow away freely, indicating that you’ve successfully unblocked your clogged drain.

Step 9. Put everything back in its proper place.

Once you’ve cleaned everything up and unblocked the drain, it’s time to put everything back the way it was, so repeat the same operations in reverse order.

Remove the sink stopper from the hole and replace it in its place. Next, go under the sink and reinstall the nut, tightening it with the wrench or pliers as needed.

Remove the clip and reattach the rod to the strap after tightening the nut. Come out from beneath the sink to test the stopper when this is completed.

If the level adjusts up and down normally when you push and pull it, it has been correctly reinserted. Finally, return everything to its position beneath the sink, clean everything with a cloth—and the operation is complete!