Clogged drains are unfortunately a common aspect of life and will happen to most people at some point. Of course, you can call your local plumber to help; however, this can cost you money and they may not have an opening right away.
There are a few things you can do at home to help unclog your drains on your own, and they don’t take any plumbing experience.
- The first way you can clear a sink blockage is with plain boiling water. Boil a large pot of water and pour it slowly down the drain, being careful to avoid the overflow if there is one. This should be done once a month to keep your drainage system clear.
- Another method for keeping your sinks clear is adding natural bacteria from apple cider vinegar into your drain once a week or as necessary- mix 1 cup of baking soda into 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar then let sit in the drain for several minutes before flushing with boiling water again. Like the apple cider vinegar tip, you can also use white vinegar.
Add baking soda and vinegar (2 tbsp each) to a sink full of hot water, leave for 1/2 an hour until bubbles go away; pour down now unclogged drain with 2 liters of boiling water on top of the mixture. This may have to be done twice depending on the severity of the blockage.
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- Use the plunger by placing it over the drain so that its cup covers the entire opening tightly. Pour about 3 cups of water into the large round cup, then quickly pull it back out again without spilling any of its contents- this will create pressure inside which will help to dislodge any debris that is causing your drain to be blocked.
- Pour 1 cup of rock salt down the clogged drain followed by 2 cups of vinegar- leave for an hour, then pour boiling hot water down it; do this up to 3 times until you can remove the blockage using a plunger or other methods if necessary.
- Use dish soap and very hot water. Start off by getting the water coming from the faucet to be as hot as possible and let it run down the drain for a couple of minutes. Then take your liquid dish soap and pour it down the drain (for tough clogs use more dish soap). After the soap has gone down the drain, go back and add more hot water.
- Use a wire clothes hanger to help free your drain from clogs. If you have ever seen a professional unclog a drain you will see them, use what is called a drain snake. One way to mimic this tool is to use a wire clothes hanger and unbend it so it is a straight piece of wire.
Gently slide the hanger into the drain to try to loosen up the clog. Be careful though that you don’t accidentally drop the hanger all the way into the drain, or you may need a professional to remove it.
- Store-bought products can also be helpful to unclog a drain. If you do not want to try and use baking soda and vinegar to unclog your drain but boiling water does not seem to be doing the trick, then you can always pick up a bottle of drain cleaner from your local store.
These bottles range in price but if you purchase the store brand it will typically only cost around $5.
These are 5 simple tips that can help you unclog your drains by yourself. It is always best to also work on preventative measures to help keep the drains clear.
If you have long hair and find that it comes out a lot during a shower (did you know that the average person loses between 50 and 100 hairs a day) then you should get a special drain cover to help collect hair.
Also, make sure you are not putting stuff down the drain that is not supposed to go down like grease. Being mindful of how you treat your drains on a daily basis will help prevent the annoying clogs that can occur.
If you find that none of these tips get rid of the issue fully or you are finding that your drains are becoming clogged on a regular basis then it is time to reach out to an experienced plumber who can help you figure out a solution.
