What Is a Pop-Up Stopper?
Quick answer
The metal plug in the bathroom sink. Hair wraps around its base, and that mat is what slows the drain.
The metal plug in a bathroom sink that opens and closes with the lift knob behind the faucet. Its base is where hair and soap scum anchor. The mat wrapped around it is the cause of most slow bathroom sinks.
Fixes that use this
Bathroom
Unclog a Slow Bathroom Sink in 15 Minutes, No Chemicals
A slow bathroom sink is almost always hair caught at the pop-up stopper. Pull it, clear it with a $4 zip tool, and clean the P-trap if needed.
Time15–30 min Cost$3–$5 easy
Kitchen
How to Unclog a Kitchen Sink Drain Without Calling a Plumber
A kitchen sink that won't drain is almost always grease packed in the P-trap. Plunge it right, pull the trap, and snake the line in under an hour for $15.
Time20–60 min Cost$0–$40 easy