Cleaning plumbing under the kitchen sink myself

I managed to save a pretty penny last night by doing one very simple do-it-yourself household task myself instead of doing what so many others seem to think is needed - calling a plumber. The other day I picked up some Liquid Plumber in the store to cure the slow draining kitchen sink. It improved the trouble, but there was still not the proper amount of drainage when emptying a sink full of water. So, next logical step? Tear the guts out from under the sink and clean everything with an old bottle brush.

First thing I did was went to the store and picked up some plumbers tape and replacement washers for the joints. Then I kidnapped a wrench from my brother's garage and went after the underbelly of that nice elCheop ought'a-be-a-Kohler faucet.

My first discovery? There was no need for the wrench - the deals on the pipes all have little wing dealies on them and can all be turned by hand. Ah well, teach me to investigate the situation then gather the tools in the future. So anyway, I crawled under there and undid the connectors at the U bend and (with a bucket under it) pulled it loose. Found about 6 drinking straws and a case knife in there gumming up the works.. oh and what looked like part of the stem trimmings of a rose. Removed all that, then decided to do a good thorough job of it. I quickly undid all the connectors that were easily removed by hand, leaving a pip out from the wall and one down from each side of the sink. Set the washers and fancy nut things aside, took the pipes and Joy and an old bottle brush out to the yard and cleaned it all to look like new. Reassembled, tightened it all down, then filled both sinks with water and let them drain.

Ahhhhh... yes, that's how a kitchen sink is supposed to drain!

So now I am planning to make the same assault on the bathroom sink and get it nice and cleaned out so it drains as nicely as the kitchen sink. Who cares if it's draining good now, I am having fun. ;-)