Over time, it’s inevitable that food, hair and other debris will collect in your pipes, creating a dam-like effect. Although this is a common problem, clogged drains are more than annoying — they can impede important daily tasks, such as bathing and cleaning your dishes.
The good news is that in many cases, you can clean a clogged drain yourself using regular household products. Whether it’s a blocked toilet, a bathtub or a sink, you can learn how to get the water flowing again in no time.
How to Clean a Clogged Drain
- First, pour hot or boiling water into the drain to help soften and loosen the blockage.
- Then, add a 1/2 cup of baking soda, and then a 1/2 cup of vinegar. Once mixed together, the mixture will turn to foam.
- Leave the mixture in for around 30 minutes. Then, pour more hot or boiling water down the drain.
- Next, take the stopper out and set it aside. Use a plunger to help break up the clog if needed.
- Pour in some more hot or boiling water, and then allow the faucet to run for a few minutes.
- Repeat the above steps if another round is necessary.
If your pipes are backed up because of grease, try a different mixture. Add a 1/2 cup of salt and a 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by hot or boiling water. Let the concoction sit overnight, and then pour more water in.
When the Above Steps Don’t Clear the Clog
If the clog still persists, you may need to manually pull it out. In most cases, you’ll find the clog in the U-shaped part of the piping (this piece is called the P-trap). Place a bucket underneath the pipe, before taking the P-trap section off to collect any debris. Then, locate the nuts on both ends of the P-trap and twist them to remove the piece (metal pipes sometimes require the use of a large adjustable wrench or channel locks).
For more tips on how to clean a clogged drain, feel free to contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing anytime.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Alex Staroseltsev/Shutterstock”
