How to Clean Your Bathroom Sink Overflow Hole?

The overflow hole in your bathroom sink is not just there for looks. It serves a functional purpose: to allow air into the pipe so that water can drain out of the sink or tub. This hole also allows unwanted debris to drain so that it doesn’t sit at the bottom of your sink or tub. So, you need to know how to clean your bathroom sink overflow hole. 

You are allowing gunk and debris to clog up the pipe by neglecting to clean this hole out. This can make it difficult for water to drain, which could lead to flooding in your bathroom.

In this content, you will learn how to clean overflow holes in bathroom sinks and the necessity to clean them. Some FAQs will also be provided. So, let’s start.

Why clean the overflow hole?

The overflow hole in your bathroom sink is also known as an anti-siphon hole. When the bathroom sink is clogged, this hole carries overflowing water into the overflow tube. If you have a slow draining sink, it could be because debris has clogged up this small hole below the stopper ball. 

Cleaning this area will not only solve your slow draining sink, but it will also help protect your home against harmful bacteria that can develop.

Clean Overflow Cavity

It’s a good idea to clean the overflow cavity of your sink every time you’re cleaning your bathroom. This is especially true if anything has ever dropped down into this drain position because even if something fell in years ago, it could have collected mold and mildew by now.

Clean the Drains

Cleaning out the drain prevents odors from developing. If build-up accumulates in the overflow hole, it could trap dirt, mildew, and mold, which leads to a foul smell.

Gunk Removal

Cleaning out your sink’s cavity is also a good idea because most of this gunk will eventually fall into the drain and onto the floor. So if you don’t clean out the overflow hole, you may have to mop more often.

How to Clean Your Bathroom Sink Overflow Hole

If your bathroom sink is clogged or draining slowly, you can clear it by reaching down into the overflow cavity with a bent wire hanger and prodding around in there until the drain starts working properly again. You can use a Sink overflow cleaning brush to clean.

Here’s a better way to clean the overflow hole:

1. First of all, you need to wear rubber gloves at hand and safety goggles on your eyes.
2. Using your garden hose, fill the sink with water until it rises out of the overflow hole. You’ll have a little waterfall going on in there!
3. Turn off the water supply.
4. Pull out the drain stopper.
5. Use your wire hanger or bent wire coat hanger to scrape out anything clogging the waterway below the drain plug hole. 
6. If there’s a gunk stuck in the overflow hole, clear it with your bent wire hanger. 
7. When you’re done, let the sink drain completely.
8. Pull out the stopper and turn on the water supply. When the sink is full, turn it off again and replace the plugin with its drain hole. 
9. You’re done.

Why Do You Need the Best Bathroom Sink?

The first reason you need to consider purchasing a high-end bathroom sink is that it will be very durable. Bathroom sinks are made of porcelain, which is a very strong material that’s less likely to chip or break over time. 

You can’t say the same thing about cheaper bathroom sinks that are made of acrylic plastic. Every time you brush your toothbrush against the side of the sink, it leaves a dent, which is unsightly and contributes to the slow deterioration of your sink.

Another reason why you should buy a high-end bathroom sink is because it’s going to be much more aesthetically pleasing than cheaper models. The porcelain material looks very clean and modern in its appearance, while plastic sinks tend to look slightly tacky by comparison. 

Even if you re-gloss acrylic sinks, they’re still going to look thinner and less self-assured than porcelain.

The final reason why you should purchase a high-end bathroom sink is that it’s much easier to maintain over time. There are always watermarks that need to be cleaned off the side of your sink to maintain its appearance. Porcelain sinks won’t stain or show watermarks nearly as easily, allowing you to go extended periods without cleaning your sink.

FAQs

1. Can you put drain cleaner in overflow?

– No, never use a drain cleaner in a sink overflow. This is not safe for your sink. It can damage your bathroom sink.

2. How do you clean a washbasin hole?

– Given the presence of so many people, things happen in the washbasin hole. This is why it becomes non-functional after a while. Here are some steps on how to clean it:

• Remove the decorative items around or inside the washbasin hole.
• Unscrew all objects that hold water like faucets. Some faucets can’t be removed if they’re integrated with the washbasin hole.
• Unsnap the drain cover, then clean it using soap and water. 
• Use a wrench to unscrew the nuts surrounding the DWV pipe, then pull out the pipe using pliers. Don’t worry because it is designed not to break. Clean the pipe and replace it with its original position.
• Use a wire brush or steel wool to clean all visible parts of the washbasin hole, especially those accumulating dirt for years.

3. How do you remove a sink overflow ring?

– Remove the overflow plate by unscrewing counter-clockwise. The overflow plate is connected to the drain by a metal nut that can be either tightened or loosened with pliers or an adjustable wrench. Once you remove the nuts under the sink, disconnect the overflow pipe from the drain.

Final Note

Hopefully, you have got your answer to use Sink overflow hole cleaner for cleaning the bathroom sink. You need to be careful while cleaning and use the best cleaner. Again, as you know that it’s important to clean the bathroom sink. You should clean it when it is necessary.