If your sink is draining painfully slowly or making a weird gurgling noise after you finish washing your hands (or both), don't panic. We've all been there. Instead of taking the time and shelling out the cash to hire a plumber or buy something that will fix the issue for you, try this genius hack using zip ties to solve the problem yourself. Bonus — it's unbelievably cheap.
For this DIY fix, you'll need two zip ties and a pair of diagonal pliers (also known as wire cutters or side cutters). Yes, that's it. TikTok user @ken.c.long shows us how it's done.
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He says to first attach the two zip ties together. Then, make a handful of small cuts along the length of one of the zip ties at a 45-degree angle. Make the cuts about halfway through the zip tie, being careful not to cut all the way through to the other side. Make alternating 45-degree cuts on either side of the zip tie. The idea is that these cut pieces will act like barbs when you stick the DIY device down the drain.
Stick your DIY tool down your clogged drain, feel around for and snag whatever's clogging it, and pull it back out. You'll probably pull it back up with gobs of hair and scum on it (gross, we know, but it has to be done).
Voila! Your sink should be working smoothly again. You can simply toss the dirty zip ties in the trash and make a new tool the next time you're noticing a clogged drain.
Possibly the best part of this genius hack is that it only costs a few bucks (and a little elbow grease on your part). You can snag a pack of 100 zip ties on Amazon for only $3.99.
This handy trick may not work for major clogs (like if the water in your sink isn't moving at all), but it's a great way to remove small clogs, especially the ones in your bathroom sink that are typically caused by jumbles of hair and soap scum.
If zip ties don't work to unclog your drain, try one of these sink unclogging methods. Still no luck? It's time to call in a pro.