It’s so easy to pour something down the drain and watch it disappear along with your problem, but the problem doesn’t really disappear. The problem is made worse by the pollution caused by the caustic chemicals in drain cleaners. Most drain cleaners are poisonous to us all, as well as the environment. So what are your options? Actually, there are several ways to clear a clogged drain.
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to move a clog is to use a plunger to try to move the clog out of the way with pressure. If you have previously used chemicals in the drain to remove the clog, make sure you use rubber gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself.
Following the plunger method, you could try plain, boiling hot water. Plug off the overflow holes and start pouring boiling water slowly down the drain. Leave the water in the sink for at least a half hour. The clog may dissipate on its own.
If you haven’t used a commercial drain cleaning product recently, you might consider using this solution. All of these items would commonly be found in your kitchen.
Pour one-half cup of baking soda into your drain. Carefully pour one-half cup of vinegar over the baking soda and cover the drain, if at all possible. At this point, the two will begin bubbling just like a child’s volcano experiment for school. After a few minutes the bubbling should stop.
Pour at least a half gallon of boiling water over what’s left of the baking soda and vinegar. Then follow that with hot running water to flush it all down the drain. This process may have to be used more than once to clear the stubborn clog.
If after you’ve tried the vinegar and baking soda and the clog is still there, you have other options besides chemicals. Do you have a snake? This is a 25-50 foot metal wire with a bulb at the end. You push the snake into the drain. When it hits the blockage, you just keep twisting until the drain runs free.
So you’ve tried a plunger, vinegar and baking soda, boiling water, and a snake. What happens if your drain is still clogged? Of course you can always call a plumber, but at least try these methods before pouring a drain cleaner down the drain. If none of these methods work, you probably have a more serious problem than a simple clog anyway.
These are awesome tips I never thought about. It always seemed easy to use chemicals but there was the environment problem later on. Great article
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