Quick answer
An HDB kitchen sink choke usually sits in the bottle trap under the sink, where HDB says solid matter or hardened grease collects. Put a pail underneath, unscrew the trap's bottom cup, hook out the gunk, rinse and refit it. Skip boiling water and choke powder. SG QuickFix clears kitchen sink chokes from $80.
SG QuickFix pricesTap to WhatsApp
| Sink choke clearing | From $80 |
| Floor trap choke clearing | From $90 |
| Manual auger clearing | From $100 |
| Deep / recurrent blockage | From $150 |
Current SG QuickFix starting prices. Final price confirmed before work begins.
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Why is my HDB kitchen sink choked?
An HDB kitchen sink choke is usually in the bottle trap, the screw-off fitting directly under the sink. HDB says the bottle trap is the common wash trap for kitchen sinks and basins in HDB flats, and that chokes come from solid matter or hardened grease caught inside it (HDB: Sinks and wash basins).
In a kitchen, the usual mix is cooking oil that sets in the trap, with rice, coffee grounds and peel stuck to it. First the sink drains slowly, then it holds water. If you'd rather not open the trap, see kitchen sink choke clearing prices.
Some renovated kitchens have a U-shaped P-trap instead. The method is the same: over a pail, unscrew the nuts either side of the U-bend.
How do I clear the bottle trap under my kitchen sink?
Put a pail under the sink, unscrew the bottle trap's bottom cup, clear out the gunk, rinse it and screw it back hand-tight. HDB's own steps add one thing: if the blockage is in the pipe, open the cleaning eye cap as well.
- Scoop the standing water out of the sink into a pail with a cup.
- Empty the cabinet, lay an old towel down and set the pail directly under the trap.
- Unscrew the bottom cup of the bottle trap anti-clockwise by hand, and keep the rubber washer.
- Tip the contents into the pail, then hook out the grease with a wire hook or thin stick.
- Scrub the cup and inner tube with dish soap and an old toothbrush.
- If the choke is further in, remove the cleaning eye cap on the pipe and hook it out.
- Seat the washer flat, screw the cup back clockwise until hand-tight, and run the tap.
- Watch for drips. If a joint weeps, tighten it a quarter turn.
Bin the waste. The common mistakes are overtightening with pliers, which can crack an old plastic cup, and a twisted washer, which drips. For drips after refitting, see a sink leaking underneath. A cracked trap has to be replaced: SG QuickFix does a bottle trap replacement from $80, plus the part.
Do a plunger, choke powder or boiling water work?
A plunger often clears a soft choke, but choke powder and boiling water carry real risks and rarely shift a solid grease plug. Baking soda and vinegar are weak.
| Method | Does it work? | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Cup plunger | Often, on a soft or recent choke | Splashback; never use after chemicals |
| Hot tap water with dish soap | On a slow drain with a grease film | Low |
| Baking soda and vinegar | Rarely on set grease | Low, but mostly wasted effort |
| Boiling water from a kettle | No better than hot tap water | Heat on the plastic trap and pipe; scalds |
| Choke powder (caustic) | Sometimes on soft grease, rarely a solid plug | Chemical burns and splashback |
| Wire hook or drain auger | Yes, including chokes past the trap | Can push the plug deeper |
To plunge a double sink, hold the other drain shut with its stopper or a wet cloth and cover the overflow slot, so the pressure goes into the choke and not out the second bowl. Leave a few centimetres of water over the cup and give 10 to 20 sharp strokes.
Baking soda and vinegar fizz because they neutralise each other. Boiling water is a poor fix: PVC waste pipe is typically rated for about 60°C continuous, and in a choked sink the water sits in the plastic trap. Choke powder is usually caustic soda. It heats up in standing water and can spit, and what doesn't clear waits in the trap for whoever opens it.
What if the sink still won't drain after I clean the trap?
If it still won't drain after cleaning the trap, the choke is further along: in the sink pipe, kitchen floor trap or shared main pipe. In most HDB kitchens the sink pipe drains into the kitchen floor trap, then a branch pipe and the main sanitary stack.
| What you see | Where the choke probably is | Who deals with it |
|---|---|---|
| Trap is clean but the sink still holds water | Sink waste pipe, between the trap and the floor trap | Flat owner |
| Kitchen floor trap bubbles or overflows when the sink drains | Floor trap or the pipe after it | Flat owner |
| Several drains are slow, or neighbours have the same problem | Main sanitary stack | Town council |
A backed-up floor trap needs its own clearing: see HDB floor trap choke. Report a blocked shared stack to your town council, and read who pays for a choke in the common stack.
How do I stop my kitchen sink choking or smelling again?
Keep oil and food scraps out of the sink, and clean the bottle trap every few months. HDB's sinks guide advises a sink strainer, clearing the bottle trap, keeping oil, food waste and solids out of the sink, and using a degreaser on kitchen sink discharge pipes regularly; HDB: Floor traps repeats the oil and degreaser advice.
- Wipe oily woks with kitchen paper before washing.
- Let cooking oil cool, bag it and bin it.
- Run hot tap water with dish soap after washing oily pots.
- Open and rinse the bottle trap every 3 to 6 months.
A kitchen sink that smells like a sewer usually has a trap problem, not a choke. The water in the bottle trap blocks drain gases; a loose cup, missing washer or weeks without use lets gas through, and rotting grease smells too. Run the tap, check the cup and washer, and clean the trap.
How much does it cost to clear a kitchen sink choke in Singapore?
SG QuickFix clears a kitchen sink choke from $80. The choke clearing service includes a flow test after clearing.
| Job | SG QuickFix price |
|---|---|
| Sink choke clearing | From $80 |
| Floor trap choke clearing | From $90 |
| Manual auger clearing | From $100 |
| Powered snake / auger clearing | From $130 |
| Deep / recurrent blockage | From $150 |
| Bottle trap replacement (plus the part) | From $80 |
The price goes up when grease has set in the sink pipe or floor trap, a cracked trap needs replacing, cabinets block access, or the sink keeps choking. Each job is priced separately. For an accurate price, send a photo of the pipes under the sink and a short video of it draining, and say whether the floor trap backs up. See also choke clearing cost in Singapore and the full plumber price list for Singapore.
Clear it yourself only when the choke is in the trap; otherwise call a plumber, or the town council for the main stack.
| Safe to DIY if… | Call a professional if… |
|---|---|
| Only the kitchen sink is slow and the trap is easy to reach | The trap is clean but water still stands in the sink |
| You haven't poured any chemicals into the sink | You've poured choke powder or drain cleaner into standing water |
| The trap cup unscrews by hand | The cup is seized, cracked or still leaks after refitting |
| You're plunging a double sink with the other drain held shut | The kitchen floor trap backs up as well |
| You're cleaning the trap as routine upkeep | Neighbours are affected: report it to the town council; don't open the main stack |
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- 4The job is done and you pay only the confirmed price.
Choke Clearing
From $80
- Sink & basin chokes
- Floor trap clearing
Choke Clearing FAQs
Both bowls of a double kitchen sink usually join into one trap and one waste pipe below the sink, so a choke at or after that joint blocks both sides. Clean the shared trap first. If you plunge, hold the other drain shut with a stopper or wet cloth so the pressure reaches the choke.
A gurgling kitchen sink usually means water is squeezing past a partial choke and pulling air through the trap. Cleaning the bottle trap often stops it. If the kitchen floor trap gurgles or bubbles at the same time, the choke is further down the pipe and needs clearing there.
Choke powder is riskier for you than for the pipe. Most choke powders are caustic, so in a blocked sink they sit in the trap and can burn skin or eyes when the trap is opened or plunged. They also rarely dissolve a solid grease plug, so cleaning the trap by hand works better.
No. PUB lists clearing a blockage in a sanitary appliance or floor trap, and replacing a sink's bottle trap, as simple plumbing works that don't need a PUB Licensed Plumber. You can clear the choke yourself or hire a handyman. Other regulated sanitary plumbing work must be done by a PUB Licensed Plumber.
Don't pour boiling water into a choked kitchen sink. With the drain blocked, the water sits in the plastic trap and pipe, and PVC waste pipe is typically rated for about 60°C continuous. Drain-cleaner labels advise flushing with hot, not boiling, water. Clean the bottle trap by hand instead.
Cleaning a choked bottle trap under an HDB kitchen sink usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, including clean-up. It takes longer when the grease has set in the sink pipe or floor trap and needs an auger, or when a cracked trap must be replaced before the sink can be used.
Related services
Serving Bedok, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Sengkang and Tampines and island-wide.
Sources & updates
- HDB: Home care guide, sinks and wash basins, checked 1 Oct 2026
- HDB: Home care guide, pipes, checked 1 Oct 2026
- HDB: Home care guide, floor traps, checked 1 Oct 2026
- PUB: Plumbing works (licensed plumbers and simple works), checked 1 Oct 2026
- MyNiceHome (HDB): HDB maintenance guide, checked 1 Oct 2026
- Updated 1 Oct 2026: First published
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This guide is general information for homes in Singapore. It is not professional, legal or safety advice for your specific situation. Electrical, gas and some plumbing work can be dangerous, and Singapore law requires certain jobs to be done by licensed workers. Any work you carry out yourself is at your own risk, and SG QuickFix accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage or injury arising from the use of this information. Prices shown are current starting prices, may change, and the final price is confirmed before any work begins. Rules and figures from HDB, PUB, EMA, SP Group and town councils were correct when last checked; please confirm with the relevant authority before acting.