When you begin to notice that water is pooling around your feet in the shower and you also feel the smells, these are usually the signs that might be a signal indicating that you are going to face a clogged drain. If you leave this situation unnoticed, then there comes a time when your drain is clogged completely. Now it is something that you have to deal with real quick. If this still goes unnoticed, you would have to deal with a useless bathroom or a burst pipe. That’s why I’m going to share with you how to clean or unclog drains naturally.
It is always recommended that you keep removing the excess gunk and hair built up at the surface. This would help you clean, and you would not build up a completely blocked drain. Moreover, if this happens often, you might end up paying too much money to the plumber. So here I am going to share with you some of the natural ways by using which you can save your drain from clogging, you can learn a lot more on Ranking Mom. Also, these ways make use of the ingredients at your home, and you can easily use them.
The Wire Hanger
This method is not only straightforward yet very useful as well. You simply need to get a wire coat hanger and straighten it. Try to straighten out the hanger at your best. Now take one of the ends and bend it over the period making a small hook. Push this wire past the drain, and now you are ready to start fishing. This wire will help you to get all kinds of hair and the nasty gunk out of your drain. Always make sure that you are pulling the nasty stuff out of the drain rather than pushing it forward. After you think you have taken almost all the gunk out, run hot water. The hot water would clean all the drain nicely.
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Vinegar and Baking Soda
This is a formula that is used widely. It is also a simple and really effective way to unclog the drain by using a home remedy. You simply need one-third cup of baking soda and one-third cup of vinegar. Measure both the ingredients using a measuring cup. The mixture will start fizzing immediately. Now without wasting any time, pour this mixture into the clogged drain. The fizzing action of the mixture helps you to get rid of the grime, gunk, and hair that has built up in the pipe. Now allow it to sit for one hour, or you can even leave it overnight. Leaving it over the night is more preferable. Flush with hot water the next morning.
Moreover, you can also put dry baking soda in the drain first and then pour the vinegar.
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Salt and Baking Soda
Take half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of salt. Pour this mixture down the drain. Allow this mixture to stand for a minimum of 30 minutes, or you can also leave it overnight. Remember, when you leave the mixture overnight, then avoid using the sink and do not use it. After giving it the time, run boiling water and clear the drain.
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Borax, Salt, and Vinegar
For this mixture, take one-fourth cup of salt and add in it one-fourth cup of borax. Now add in half a cup of vinegar. After this mixture, add a pot of boiling water and allow it to sit for an hour. It will take an hour to clear your drain. Lastly, rinse by using tap water. This would clear the drain and all the ingredients.
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Caustic Soda
The caustic soda is also known as sodium hydroxide. It is a chemical agent, and if you are careless using it, it may cause you to get some nasty chemical burns. To start with caustic soda, you need to get some eye protection and rubber gloves. You can get the caustic soda from the local hardware store, but it is always advisable to be careful while using it. Take three fourth gallons of old water into a mopping bucket and add in it three cups of caustic soda. Now take a wooden spoon and stir the solution well. It will start to fizz and heat up as well. Pour this mixture into the clogged drain and let it sit for about 20 to 30 minutes. Now flush the drain by using boiling hot water. You can also repeat the whole procedure if necessary.
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Dry and Wet Vacuum
If you own a dry and wet shop vacuum, it can become an amazing tool for unclogging the drains. Firstly, set the vacuum to liquids. Now cover the vent up to avoid the mess. Now make the tightest seal over the drain. You may also want to be creative and adapt, and a traditional plunger head for this task. Turn the vacuum on to its highest setting. This would be powerful to pull all the gunk from the clogged pipe into the bag of vacuum. This method may not always work, but it is worth a shot, and you can try it.
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Boiling Water
The tips can not get easier than this. Put a kettle on, or you can also use a stove or a microwave if you do not have a kettle. Now boil as much water as your container can hold. When the water is boiling, pour it slowly down your drain in stages, letting the water to work for several minutes in between each pour. This forms the quickest and the easiest way to unclog your drain. If you have some water left, you can celebrate and treat yourself with a cup of coffee.
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Pipe Cleaning
There are some of the plumbing jobs that you might think are difficult but these are easy ones. Firstly, take an empty bucket and place it under the U shaped pipe attached to the sink. The bucket will collect the spilling water, and you can also use a plumber’s wrench to loosen the slip nuts present at both ends of the pipe. You will be able to finish the task by hand. Of course, always make sure to wear a pair of protective gloves.
When your trap gets free, remove it and turn the trap in the upside-down position. This would empty all the contents into the bucket.
Moreover, you may also need to fish around for some gunk and debris. Do the same process with the help of a pipe that is holding it. Besides, you can also use an old toothbrush for dealing with the tough gunk and grime out. Rinse the whole trap with hot water and put everything back together. This trick will do the job most of the time. However, if it does not work, you can get some help from the plumber.
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Dish Detergent
If your toilet is clogged, take one-fourth cup of dish detergent in the boil. Now boil some water. The dish soap will act as a lubricant and would help to break up any of the residues of grease. Now pour the boiling hot water and pour it down. Now get ready to start plunging. If the action of the plunger does not help to cut, the rubber gloves form the next option.
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Drain Snake
The drain snake is a shallow tech equipment piece that works like wonders. Basically, it is a long and flexible metal rope that has a metal spiral at one end. Push this wire past the drain, and now you are ready to start fishing. This wire will help you to get all kinds of hair and the nasty gunk out of your drain. Always make sure that you are pulling the nasty stuff out of the drain rather than pushing it forward. After you think you have taken almost all the gunk out, run hot water. The hot water would clean all the drain nicely.
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Vinegar, Baking Soda, Pressure and Gravity
If the drain of your bath is clogged. Take some baking soda and mix it with vinegar in equal amounts. Pour this mixture down the drain and place a stopper over it. After about 45 to 60 minutes, fill your bathtub full with water. Now remove the stopper; the pressure of 40 to 60 gallons of water would be enough to dislodge the blockage. This blockage has been loosened already by the vinegar and baking soda mixture. You can also utilize the drain snake or some plunging technique in conjugation with the weight of all this water.
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Lemon and Baking Soda
Take half a cup of baking soda and mix it with half a cup of lemon juice. Pour this mixture down the drain. Plug the drain and allow the mixture to sit for an hour. After an hour, you can finish by a pot of boiling water. If you are dealing with a clogged sink in your kitchen, and you also like the smell of lemon, you can consider this method instead of the vinegar and baking soda method. Although the lemon juice costs more as compared to vinegar.
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Cream of Tartar, Salt and Vinegar
Take half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of salt. Now add in two tablespoons of cream of tartar in a jar. You should take a jar that has a strong sealing lid. Close the jar and shake to combine all the ingredients well together. Pour half of the contents of the jar down the drain. Save the other half for later use. Now take a pot of boiling hot water and let the drain sit for about an hour. Now run the tap water to rinse any remains of the solution left in the drain.
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Advantages of Green Drain Cleaning Solutions
The natural products used for drain cleaning are safer as compared to toxic chemical-based synthetic cleaners. The synthetic cleaners – check out bathtub cleaners review – have sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide in them. These harsh chemicals can eat your pipes away over time. In the long run, you might face more problems as these chemicals would erode your plumbing. The cleaning using natural ingredients is safe and easy to put together as you get these items in your kitchen. These methods are really cost-effective, as well. If you see the bigger picture, you are adding to protect your environment by avoiding the harsh chemical products.
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FAQS
Yes, you can use coke to unclog a drain. For this purpose, firstly, you need to purchase a two-litre bottle of coke and allow it to get to room temperature. After you pour the coke in the drain, allow it to fizz and let it stand for about an hour or two. Now, after giving it some time, pour boiling hot water. Pepsi and coke are heavily loaded with phosphoric acid. This acid helps to break down the buildup clogging your drains.
Some of the mild clogs can be fixed by use of the baking soda followed by vinegar and allowing the solution to sit for a few hours before flushing. The grease buildup can be eliminated by using salt and baking soda. This can be followed by boiling hot water. You can take care of your blockages by using a plunger as well.
The lateral drains and sewers are linked with the public network once was the responsibility of the property owner. However, most of these are now maintained by the local companies. If you are facing some issues with your lateral drain or sewer, you can contact your local water company to deal with the situation.
Most of the chemical-based cleaners produce heat inside the pipe, and PVC pipes may not withstand this heat and melt. It would harm the integrity of the joints of pipes. If you use the homes based tricks, then there would be no damage to your pipes. You can use the home based cleaning mixtures without any worry of damaging your pipes.
Although you can use three fourth cups of bleach followed by thorough flushing of hot water, this technique would deodorize and sanitize your drains, but it would not help to unclog the drain. It is not effective using bleach to clear a clogged drain as the bleach would not eat through the washcloth bits, hair, and other matter that is trapped inside the pipe.
Take one cup of hydrogen peroxide and mix it with one tablespoon of baking soda. Pour this mixture down your drain and allow it to foam. This would help you to break the clog and clear through your drain.
Although the acidity alone from the vinegar may help you to eat the clogs and grease, salt alone can scour the inside of the pipe as it is abrasive and coarse. Measure half a cup of salt and pour this directly down your drain. Rinse the drain by using boiling hot water.
One of the ways to clear the clogged pipes is by using chemical agents. If you want to use a homemade mixture, you can start by pouring a pot of boiling water down the drain. Now pour about half a cup of baking soda into the drain and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Now pour one cup of vinegar and one cup of hot water down the drain. This procedure, in most cases, helps to unclog the drain.
How can you know if your drain is clogged?
Signs of a clogged drain
- If you see or hear that your toilet is bubbling, it can be an indicator that your drain is clogged.
- Also, if water backs up to your bathtub, sink, shower or commode, then you might get a warning of a clogged drain.
- If you see that water is coming out from beneath your commode, your drain might be clogged.
- The water is running slowly to the drain from shower, sink, bathtub or commode.
- When you smell some bad odors from your drains, you might have a clogging drain.
- When you see some puddles of water near or around your shower, bathtub, laundry area, sink, or commode.
If you see any of these signs, you should get a warning that your drain is close to clogging, and you should do something at this stage. If you take the blockage severely at this stage, you would be able to clean it more easily.
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