How to Fill a Large Bucket from a Sink

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: December 31, 2020 References Tested

Filling a bucket with water is a necessity for a lot of things, but using a small bathroom or kitchen sink for the task can be next to impossible. Instead of doing gymnastics to fill up a large bucket, try using a household object as a funnel! You’ll have a full bucket of water in no time (without all the hassle).

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Dustpan

1
Set a dustpan underneath the faucet with the handle pointing outward. You may have to hold the dustpan in place as you fill the bucket, but that’s okay. Angle the handle of the dustpan out and over the rim of the sink with the part that you sweep dust into under the faucet.^{[1]
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- If your dustpan is dirty, give it a quick rinse before you use it so you don’t fill your bucket with dusty water.
2
Place the bucket underneath the dustpan handle. The water will flow off the handle and into the bucket, so make sure it’s positioned correctly to avoid a puddle! If your sink is tall, you may want to hold the bucket close to the dustpan handle.^{[2]
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- If you’re worried about spills, place a few towels next to the bucket just in case.
- Start with the bucket closer than you think you need it, and adjust it later.
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3
Turn the faucet on and let the water drain into the bucket. The dustpan handle will act like a funnel, filling your bucket with water faster than you can blink. If you need to, adjust the dustpan handle so it’s pointing straight into the bucket.^{[3]
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- Even if the dustpan isn’t angled downward, the water will build up in the dustpan and pour out through the handle.
4
Fill the bucket with water and then turn the faucet off. When your bucket is full enough, just turn the sink off and take the dustpan out. Dry it off with a towel before storing it or using it again.^{[4]
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- If there’s any water in the dustpan, you can pour it into the sink or the bucket.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Flexible Cutting Board

1
Roll your cutting board into a funnel. Flexible cutting boards are easy to roll up into different shapes. Roll yours up lengthwise into a tight funnel that will just fit over the faucet.^{[5]
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- You can find plastic cutting boards at most grocery stores for under $1.
2
Put the end of the funnel into your bucket. Holding the cutting board funnel tight with your hands, place one end of the funnel into the mouth of your bucket. If your sink is tall, you may have to hold the bucket up to reach the faucet.^{[6]
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- This can be slightly tricky to do on your own, so don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need to.
3
Stick the top of the funnel on the faucet. Make sure the nozzle of the faucet sticks straight down into the funnel for a steady stream of water. It’s better for the funnel to cover the head of the faucet a little bit so no water spills out.^{[7]
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- If a little water does spill out, that’s okay. It will go right back into the sink!
- If your cutting board isn’t long enough to extend out over the sink, hold your bucket up until the funnel reaches the faucet and the bucket at the same time.
4
Turn the water on to fill your bucket. Keep your hand closed tightly around the cutting board to hold its shape. When you’re done, just turn off the water and dry your cutting board before storing it.^{[8]
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- To make your cutting board flat again, just lay it out on a countertop or table and put a heavy object on top. It will flatten out in a couple of hours.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Plastic Bottle

1
Cut a 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5.1 cm) hole in the side of a plastic bottle. Use a knife to carefully slice a hole into the side of your plastic bottle near the very bottom. Start out a little smaller than you think your faucet is, then check the hole and widen it if you need to.^{[9]
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- Try to use a large soda bottle, like a 1-liter, to make sure it’s big enough for this hack.
- You don’t have to do any exact measuring here; just use your best judgement.
- Be careful! Always cut away from yourself so you don’t nick your fingers.
2
Stick the faucet into the hole and point the end of the bottle outwards. Make sure the bottle completely covers the mouth of the faucet so you don’t spill any water. If your bottle is big enough, the opening should stick out over your sink.^{[10]
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Position your bucket underneath the end of the bottle. Fit the opening of the bucket right underneath of the mouth of the bottle to catch the water. If you’re worried about spills, keep a few towels around just in case.^{[11]
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- If your sink is super tall, you may want to hold the bucket closer to the bottle to avoid splashing.
4
Turn the water on to fill up the bucket. All that’s left to do is turn on your faucet! The water will run through the bottle and into your bucket. When the bucket is full, just turn off the water and take the bottle off the faucet.^{[12]
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- You can keep your bottle around for future use, or you can recycle it.