Have you ever experienced sudden flooding while you’re taking a shower, or have been frustrated that the soapy water in your kitchen sink still won’t go down the drain after hours? How about the stubborn blockage that's always in your pipes? Perhaps, the reason why you’re reading this article is you’re going through something similar to them in the first place.
Drain clogging is something that is common in every household. However, no matter how minor your drain problem seems, clogged drains should be taken seriously and addressed as soon as you can before the substances in your drainage pipes cause more harm with lasting effects.
Cleaning is also an important part to practice proper hygiene and drains are mostly involved in it— washing your hands, taking a shower, washing the dishes, mopping the floor, and the list goes on.
However, sometimes, being busy spending the whole day at work or getting tired from a day full of doing other chores can make you forget about maintaining a clean drain. And so, when the drain becomes clogged, the easiest course of action is to hire a plumber to fix the problem.
Hiring a plumber can be costly, especially when you live paycheck to paycheck or have other financial responsibilities that are important to be paid. In a time where a pandemic puts everyone’s health at risk, you also would not want to increase your exposure to people to also protect your family and loved ones.
If you’re looking for easy and doable tips to unclog your drain, good for you! Here are affordable things you can try to solve drain problems:
Baking Soda and Lemon Juice
One of the easiest solutions to unclog your drain is going through some items in your kitchen. All you have to do is make a mixture that is ½ baking soda and ½ freshly squeezed lemon juice. The key is to let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to an hour and let it do its magic then rinse it with boiling water afterward.
The solution can break up any substances clogging your drain and wash them down your drainpipes.
Note: Be careful if you are using PVC pipe for your drain to avoid damaging it.
Salt, Borax, and Vinegar
Borax is one of the home staples that can be pretty much used for everything including unclogging your drain. You can usually use Borax with just some boiling water to flush out minor clogs. But, if you’re experiencing more stubborn drain issues, you can use it with salt and vinegar (¼ cup each) for an intensified solution. This mixture can also be used to treat rust on your drain.
Extra tip: You can also use the paste-like solution to remove carper stains!
Dish Detergent and Hot Water
Using a dish detergent is a great solution to dissolve grease that is causing clogged drains. Not only does it work fast but it’s also an easy and accessible item you can easily find at home. All you have to do is mix 3 tablespoons of dish detergent and 4 cups of boiling water.
The dishwashing soap can break down the potency of oil and grease and boiling water can help further soften them up. Repetition of the application of the solution is also a good habit to maintain a clean drain at home.
Go Manual With Hanger and Plungers
If you are still struggling to unclog your drains using any of the DIY mixtures mentioned above, then you might be deadline with bigger obstructions that are blocking your drainpipes.
Professionals use drain augers and drain cleaning cables to manually move and push any obstructions in your pipes, but common home items like wire coat hangers and plungers can also do the job if you want to fix it.
To unclog with the hanger, simply straighten it out and utilize its hook to rattle it in your drain until it is clear. Using plungers, on the other hand, helps to suction any obstructions that block your drainpipes.
Vacuum
A wet-dry vacuum works similarly to plungers but offers more power to suck in bigger blockers faster; you only need a rag to use it for unclogging.
What you can do is to have your water running lightly before doing so it can build up in your sink. Put the rag on the drain and make sure that the rag is covering it well, and use the vacuum on top of the rag to suck in any hair, tissue, food particles, and other substances that might be stuck in your drains. In essence, the rag works as a seal to catch any of these substances.
Key Takeaway
Clogged drains at home can be frustrating especially when you use them for the most essential chores every day. Unclogging them can be challenging especially if you don’t have any idea how to even start and that’s what this article is for!
Instead of going for more costly and risky options to get your drains fixed, you can easily do them without any skills required. All you have to do is look at what you already have at home and use them innovatively.
At the end of the day, the most important thing to avoid going through the stress of dealing with clogged drains is to prevent it from happening. Your awareness of proper drainage care and maintenance should also be a priority to better take care of your home.
