We live in an old house, and the sink looks about 50 years old. It has an overflow, but the overflow is blocked only realised this the other week. :(
I Have tried bleach and tried plunging. Is there something I can use to unblock it, like a brush or any other ideas???
It is smelling like dirty soap now so need to do something asap.
Thanks
Lea :) :)

We had similar problem last year, I used the blaster!!  Sealed the sink hole with one hand and blasted into the overflower at the same time.  I'm not sure our plumber would approve but it worked.

Would that MR Muscle sink and plughole unblocker stuff work. We use it when the sink doesn't drain, there's one for standing water which is brill, but don't know whether it would a)work for this scenario b)you'd be able to squeeze it in that angle for the overflow.

Can you disconnect the waste from the bottom of the sink and get at it from the other end?.
Had a similar problem and couldn't get at the pipe from the top because of the right angle but it was 'easy' from the underneath.

Bit worried that taking the pipe off it will not go back on without leaking :o :o
I dont want to spend too much if I can help it.
Thinking about getting some flexible wire to try and hook it out :s
Lea :)

you can hire flexible things designed for the job not too expensive I wiould also try mr muscle or something simlar as they say there are other products available :)

They do a mousse unblocker so it can be used for difficult places /angles but can't remember where I got it from. I am just off to tax the car and need to get some myself as our kitchen sink has been a bit whiffy so will see if our local
hardware store has the one I am on about :-)

oops read that as mouse unblocker. Was worried for a moment you had mouse down the sink

Lol a little mouse bum and tail sticking out !!

It is Mr muscle foam that I was thinking off.

I use sink buster as that is normally very good

lol like that image very funny
yes thats the one I use seem to work well

Lea Tesco sell one of those flexible wire sink unblocker things - they are 99p and in my branch are sold somewhere near to the lightbulb section. They have a couple of shelves with cheap "useful" household items most of which retail at around £1.

I looked for them on Tesco site Harley but couldnt see it, Have you any idea what they are called? I put in Sink I search.
I also looked on ebay, But couldnt find them on there.
Lea :) :)

A cheap plunger and the caustic stuff from B&Q.    The supermarket stuff  is rubbish and a waste of money.

Caustic soda, yes, I got the stuff from the builders merchants years ago for an old house with a blocked outdoor toilet (turned out someone had Flushed a towel down it (previous owner :o ))
Will have to ask in Jackos next time I am in town. Funnel and stand back :o
Got a plunger, but doesnt do over flow :)
Lea :)

Lea is it the waste pipe from the bottom of the sink or the overflow towards the top of the sink? If it's the bottom plug hole pipe then some flexible wire should do the trick - I have used some thin plastic covered cabling in the past and that worked well.

If it's the overflow that only comes into use if the sink is overfilled with water you may be able to do the same thing - I would imagine that the hole where the overflow joins the normal waste pipe has become covered in debris over the years in which case using caustic soda in both pipes would also help. Just remember that you shouldn't mix bleach and other cleaners as they can give off toxic fumes.

look up flexible drain rod on ebay lots of them for under a fiver

Not caustic soda.  The really lethal stuff from B&Q that is a drain unblocker.    Its about £7 a bottle and is very hazardous but will clean your pipes out wonderfully!

I use soda crystals in my sink drain and also toilets. pour down leave and then add boiling water. do not allow your pets near it it, just as you woulndt allow them near bleach ect. although they would smell it and stay away.

Soda crystals worked a treat when i had the same problem. If i recall correctly i had to do it twice but as they werent that expensive i didnt mind. Was quite generous with the crystals too

I HAVE soda crystals :) :) Will funnel them into the over flow in a minute :) :)
Lea :)

The best thing I've found for unblocking pipes is, believe it or not, cheap shampoo! You need to squirt quite a lot down (1/4 of a bottle or so), which is why cheap is best, think Tesco Value rather than your best Loreal :) I'm not sure how you'd get it down an overflow as it needs to be squirted, perhaps some sort of pipe on the end of the bottle?

Follow it up with a couple of tsp of bicarb of soda and a fgood flush through with boiling water a few minutes later and hey presto! Clean pipes :)

Claire

Thanks everyone,
Loads of soda chrystals and boiling water and the bathroom smells sweeter :) :)
I knew someone would come up with something :) :)
Thanks again :) :)
Lea :) :)

You are welcome Lea, the old fashioned remadies are always best! i never use anything else. bleaches are not good for the drains.

Soda crystals here too - I use them on my kitchen sinks once a month - soon gets rid of any build up of grime!

How do you do that Dakko???? dissolve in water or straight on cloth??
Mine gets VERY Tea stained and as we have a biological septic tank I dont like using harsh chemicals too much. But do bleah it every so often.
Lea :)

Lea when we had a septic tank and thought we had a blockage of any sort, I would pour as much/many soda crystals as I could down the overflow and then would add a kettle of hot water!   Cleared 99.9% of all blockages!!

I still use soda crystals - they are an extremely cheap and efficient way of cleaning almost anything/

(still remember some ditty from my mother's time ....."I wish I were a bobby, a bit fat bobby - I'd wash ma mither's lobby wi washing sody....."   Maybe some proper Scots connection might remember/clarify this!!!

Also add soda crystals to your washing powder, it softens the water, you don't have to use so much powder & great for keeping whites white.

I put it down the plug hole followed by a kettle of boiling water to clear the drains Lea not to clean actual sink. Try salt and lemon juice for tea stains?