There is nothing quite like realizing that water levels have slowly sneaked up to your ankles, and you’re just halfway through your shower. It’s even worse when you see the water little by little dripping instead of going swiftly. One simple word – EW!
A blocked drain leads to nasty odors, still water, infections, and anger. Certainly, there’s nothing worse than getting a clogged drain in the kitchen or bathroom – the two most used rooms in any house. We’ve been there, and it throws daily routine off when you discover a clogged drain in the dishwasher or the sink.
There can be many reasons for this, from rinsing food plates, cat litter, dirt particles, soap residues, hardened grease to hair. According to a study, 3 out of 9 drain blockages are caused by Fat, Oil, and Grease (FOG) accumulating in the drain pipe. Fortunately, there are more than a few techniques you can try at home before you need to call in professional help.
It happens to the best of us, and next time you become a victim of a clogged drain, don’t resort to using store-bought chemicals. Instead, consider a natural clogged drain home remedy; you never know it might work better than those harmful and expensive clog cleaners.
Here are some simple yet effective clogged drain cleaning remedies to open up those drains using everyday staples. What’s more, they are ridiculously simple.
Best DIY Clogged Drain Remedies For Your Home
Clogged drains are a nightmare, no matter if it’s in a tub, sink, dishwasher, or shower – when the water doesn’t go down the pipe, your anxiety levels start rising. Of course, the next thing is you call a plumber as you have no unclogging solution at home. But wait, you can rely on home remedies for clogged drains.
Here are some excellent natural remedies that make stagnant water instantly disappear down the pipe:
Pouring Boiling Hot Water Down The Drain
When you come across slow drainage in your bathroom or kitchen, the first thing that comes to your mind is how to unblock this clogged drain. Well, sometimes the simplest things provide the best remedy, no matter how easy they may seem – all you need to do is pour piping hot water.
The boiling water works great against a clogged drain in the sink. But it’s the most effective when the clog is made of organic matter and not plastic-based gunk. Also, the water should be boiling; otherwise, it won’t dissolve any organic matter stuck in the sink.
However, don’t pour boiling water down the clogged drain pipe when you have PVC pipes. As the heat from the water could lose the joints, it could result in a more significant issue than just a clogged drain. On the contrary, no need to worry when you have metal pipes. Also, never pour hot water into a porcelain sink bowl; you might end up with a cracked sink.
Bring A Vinegar And Salt Solution To The Party
Vinegar and baking soda are your best friend when it comes to keeping your home clean.
Indeed, many people suggest boiling water for oily clogs while baking soda and vinegar for others. But in fact, when you combine both in the right way, trust me, you can eliminate most clogs with just one simple solution. So no matter it’s a clogged drain pipe or a clogged drain tub, this natural remedy works perfectly.
First, make sure all the water has gone down the clogged drain pipe. Now, plug the drain and pour a half box of baking soda followed by half cup vinegar down the drain pipe. The baking soda and vinegar will combine, causing a fizzy reaction, forcing the clog to loosen up. Let it all sit for one hour. Now, pour a pot of hot boiling water down the drain. Repeat only when necessary.
Plunger To The Rescue
Do you know that plunger is multipurpose and can be used on your bathroom and kitchen sink? What’s more, they are pretty effective with unclogging your shower drains as well. So while it doesn’t help with other clogged drainage zones, one thing is for sure, your sink will be free from blocked drains.
Make sure that your plunger has a cup shape and not the other flanged types. Otherwise, you will get no relief from clogged drains. These curved plungers are adequate for the clogged drain in the sink and are primarily found in houses; if not, they are highly inexpensive and can be found at any local supermarket.
Simply begin the plunging by removing all the drain filters. Then start by applying sharp yet fast actions. Don’t forget to periodically check-in between whether your clog has been resolved or not. Always have an airtight yet clean fit before trying to unclog the drain. Moreover, before plunging, make sure your plunger has water in it; it’s a biggie.
Try Peroxide For Problematic Drains
So you have a clogged drain in the tub and have tried the above remedies, but none of them provided relief. Well, try this mixture; combine half a cup of baking soda with an equal quantity of peroxide. Now, pour this down your clogged drain in the tub. After it, don’t forget to pour boiling water and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, wait for the magic to happen; after 30 minutes, you will see water going down the pipe with ease.
Snake It Out
When all fails, it may be time to resort to the physical removal of clogged drains. A drain auger or snake is the perfect tool to unclog even the most stubborn ones. With this method, you can reach deep into the clogged drain in order to dislodge or pull out whatever is preventing the water from flowing.
Remove the stopper to get access to the drain opening. Then, insert the auger down the drain opening, crank the handle and capture all the gunk clogging your pipes. Once satisfied, pull the wire to remove all the debris and other matters to unclog the sink.
Sometimes, one might need to loosen the connectors and even go beyond this point to fix the clog. The debris might be stuck inside the pipe that goes into the wall, so insert an auger and remove anything you can reach. Once all pipers are clear and clean, reassemble them and check the water flow. You have probably already removed the clog preventing the water from flowing.
Wrapping Up
Dealing with a clogged drain can be just another day for homeowners. So, of course, your first reaction is calling a professional plumber. But, while a plumber can surely fix the problem, why not give home clogged drain cleaning remedies a try and save some money?
All the techniques discussed above are known to help unclog household drains. Moreover, the ingredients listed above are likely available in your home, saving you trips to local shops and money. If you need help with a clogged drain issue, call us today at (704) 289-6858.
