I am an advocate of "Do It Yourself (DIY)" to certain degree when it comes to plumbing problems. There are some simple repairs that I'm not afraid to walk customers through over the phone. A successfully completed repair can be empowering to the customer and can save them some money in the process.
This will be my first in a short series of DIY plumbing repairs. Please feel free to contact me with comments or questions as I try to share some of the tricks of the trade that I have learned over the last 15 years.
Step 1: Remove the stopper from the sink drain. If it will not pull out, reach under the sink and loosen the nut where the horizontal metal rod is going into the pop-up assembly. Once the nut is loose, pull the metal rod away from the drain until the stopper is free to pull out of the drain. Now reinstall the nut into the pop-up assembly.
Step 2: Everything that is slowing down the drain may pull out with the stopper when it is removed. If this does not happen, use a wet/dry shop vac or a straightened out clothes hanger to remove the offending stoppage. If the drain is still slow after doing this, the p-trap for the drain may need to be removed.
Step 3: Once the slow drain has been repaired, be sure to check all of the drain connections with a bright flashlight to ensure that there are no leaks.
Step 4: Never, ever use liquid drain cleaner to clear a slow or stopped up drain. If the above mentioned hasn't cleared the drain, it's time to call in the professionals!
Sincerely,