If the sink, tub, or drain is completely blocked with standing water, remove as much as possible first. Use a cup or small bowl to bail water into a bucket. You need the soda crystals to reach the blockage, not just float on top of water.
To avoid future blockages, perform Method 1 (The Maintenance Clean) once a month.
If your sink or basin is full of stagnant water, bail it out into a bucket. You want the crystals to reach the blockage, not just sit in cold water.