When it comes to bathroom sink repair, there are a few common problems people have: leaky drains, chips in the porcelain and cracks in the ceramic of the sink. Each is easily solvable with the right know-how.

Leaky drains are common in basic sink repair, yet easily dealt with. The first thing you’ll have to do is find where the leak is coming from. To do this, let water run from the faucet into the sink. Make sure you have a bucket positioned to catch water. Shine a flashlight onto the pipes and wrap a paper towel around each one to determine the location of the leak. Next, tighten the couplings in the drainpipe with the leak. If this doesn’t solve the problem, try cleaning the pipe threads and replacing the gasket. To do this, you’ll need to detach the sink basket from the basin, using a wrench to loosen the nuts. Keep the basin in place with a screwdriver or a pair of pliers in the crosspiece. Scrub off all of the old putty, then insert the new gasket, followed by the sink basket. Once this is done, it’s simply a matter of tightening the washer nut, applying sealant, and testing the drains once again.

Porcelain sink repair deals with chips more than cracks, just as ceramic sink repair involves cracks more than chips. However, you can take the same steps to deal with both. First, you have to clean the sink to the best of your ability, so as not to get dirt permanently in the sealant.

Afterwards, use sandpaper to sand the chipped area. Be careful not to scratch the smooth surrounding surface with the sandpaper. Once the chip or gouge has been sanded, apply a silicone filler or repair compound to the damaged area. Allow it to dry as instructed by the manufacturer, then sand down the repaired area so that the filled area is level with the rest of the sink. Finally, find a porcelain touch-up paint that best matches your sink’s color and apply to the repaired area.

Your sink stopper may also need repair or replacement. If you have a sink stopper, there will be a horizontal pivot rod connected to a vertical clevis, which fastens the stopper to the sink. Remove both the clevis and the pivot rod, soaking them in vinegar or another cleaning solution. Meanwhile, remove the stopper from the drain and inspect it for damage. Pay special attention to the rubber seal. If you have to replace the seal or stopper, it’s a simple matter of following the manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, soak the stopper in the cleaning solution, reassemble the pivot rod and clevis, and test to see if it’s working.