Unblock a drain yourself
HelpingHands lets you speak with an experienced helper through a live 10, 20, or 30-minute video call. Show them the slow sink, shower or gully, and they'll help you work out why it's blocked, whether a plunger or a drain snake will shift it, and how to clear it safely — without reaching straight for caustic chemicals.
When online help for a blocked drain is useful
A kitchen sink that drains slowly, a shower tray filling up with water, a gurgling plughole, or a smell rising from the drain. If you can show where the water backs up, a helper can help you judge whether it's a trap you can reach yourself or something deeper in the pipework.
What you can show or ask during a video call
"Is this the trap or further down the pipe?" "Will a plunger work or do I need a drain snake?" "Can I take this U-bend apart myself?" "Is it safe to use a chemical unblocker on this?" Show the sink, the plughole and the pipework under the unit on camera and a helper talks you through it.
What HelpingHands does and does not do
It does: help you find where the blockage sits, choose between a plunger, a drain snake or opening the trap, and clear it without damaging the pipe. It does not: send a plumber to your home, or replace an on-site professional when the blockage is deep in the soil stack, shared with a neighbour, or a job for drain rods or a jetting machine.
How pricing works
You book by session length — 10, 20, or 30 minutes — and see the price before you confirm. No call-out fee, because there is no call-out.
How to book a helper
Download HelpingHands, describe which drain is blocked and how bad it is, and choose a helper. You'll be connected on a video call where you can show the blockage and get guided through clearing it, from plunger to final flush.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I unblock a drain myself with online help?
- Yes. A helper guides you over video to find where the blockage sits, pick the right method, and clear it safely — while you do the work.
- Does HelpingHands send someone to my house?
- No. HelpingHands is video-only. Helpers guide you during a live video call.
- Should I just pour chemical drain cleaner down it?
- A helper will help you decide. Caustic unblockers can damage pipes and rarely fix a solid blockage — often a plunger, a snake or cleaning the trap works better, and they'll show you how.
- What if the blockage is deeper in the system?
- If the water backs up across several drains, or the blockage is in the main soil stack or a shared drain, a helper will tell you honestly it's a job for an on-site professional with rods or jetting gear.
Get help in minutes
Download HelpingHands and book a short video call with a helper who can talk you through it.