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I have a clogged sink in my bathroom. Tried a bunch of things already, like chemicals, a pump plunger - no success. I don't know what's in there but it seems serious.

The next step would be to open the trap and clean it but I have no idea how to open/disassemble it. Pictures below. Any help?

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Machavity
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lesssugar
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    Be very careful when opening a trap that's had chemicals used on it, as they are likely still in there. – cjm Jul 13 '21 at 18:38
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    I've not seen that design in the US, but the answer given by "guess" below is what I would have tried. The round "nut" ought to be hand-tight, but I have a rubber strap wrench that would help if needed, and without marring that nice finish. – donjuedo Jul 13 '21 at 21:59
  • Have you tried putting a wet-capable vacuum cleaner down the plughole (and sealing it well, including the overflow) to see if it can dislodge anything? – Caius Jard Jul 14 '21 at 11:23

2 Answers2

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That bottom piece should unscrew by turning it counter clockwise. They usually come with a tool to unscrew it. You can use a steel washer and a pair of pliers or a large screwdriver. You don't want to be laying under it when you unscrew it.... don't ask how I know.

JACK
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    The UK ones seem better designed. They don't need a tool, and unless they are completely blocked and the sink is full of water, unscrewing them doesn't create any mess. But a bucket on the floor under the trap is still a good insurance policy - especially if you have brain fart and pour the mess down the "untrapped" sink to get rid of it. (Don't ask how I know that...) – alephzero Jul 13 '21 at 18:38
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    @alephzero We sure learn by experience... :-) – JACK Jul 13 '21 at 18:43
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    \* Asking, just to be a pill. (Also, _because Schadenfreude_?) – FeRD Jul 13 '21 at 19:19
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    @alephzero IME it's more that thy don't create *much* mess, as there's often not enough room to remove it without tipping. If you can't get a bucket in there or even something shallower, an old towel may be enough. Here of course, you could use a bucket – Chris H Jul 14 '21 at 14:39
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Apparently it is called a bottle trap.

To clean it in-place

Use a large coin to unscrew this part:

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Here is a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_sUB9PlTw8

To remove it:

Unscrew this part to remove the connection to the drain:

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Then unscrew the entire assembly:

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Criggie
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guess
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    I'm curious how it works as a trap. It looks like once the bottom fills up with water, everything at and above the output pipe seems to just function as an elbow... where's the "trap" function happening? – Kevin Fegan Jul 14 '21 at 19:57
  • @KevinFegan I'm going to guess there's some internal divider. – JimmyJames Jul 14 '21 at 20:20
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    @KevinFegan This article has a diagram: https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/Why-Do-We-Need-Bottle-Traps-For-The-Wash-Basins – JimmyJames Jul 14 '21 at 20:22
  • @JimmyJames - Okay, so that diagram was very useful. Previously, I watched a video on YouTube. They disconnected the trap but left the tailpiece attached to the sink. When they removed the bottom of the trap and showed the inside of it, the trap was just totally empty, and I couldn't figure out how it works. After seeing the diagram, it turns out that the tailpiece dips down below the output pipe, submerged in the well in the bottom of the trap. Makes perfect sense. – Kevin Fegan Jul 21 '21 at 06:15