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If water is taking longer than usual to go down and your sink gets overflowed, or if you can smell a strange and unpleasant odor in your bathroom or kitchen, then you can take them as warning signs of a blocked drain.
This is something you should attend to immediately, and if you avoid fixing such minor things then it can lead to severe problems in your plumbing system. In this case, you can use some DIY methods to clean your drain. Else, you can call a professional plumber to clean your drains.
6 Effective Ways to Clear a Blocked Drain
1. Boiling Water
Boil a bucket of water and pour it down into the drain slowly. Pour the bucket in 2-3 parts. Once you pour the 1st part, allow the water to work for a few seconds, then pour the 2nd part, wait for a few seconds again, and finally pour the 3rd part. Boiling water is the enemy of fat and grease, and if the blocked drain is caused due to that, this can prove to be an effective remedy.
2. Vinegar and Baking Soda
Mixing half cup vinegar in half cup baking soda will create a fizz immediately. Before the fizz settles down, pour the mixture down the blocked drain. The fizzing action of the ingredients will remove the grime, gunk and hair built up inside the drainpipe. Let the mixture sit in the drain overnight and pour a bucket of hot water into it in the morning. You will definitely notice some improvement in the drainage.
3. Caustic Soda
Chemically known as sodium hydroxide, caustic soda can be easily bought from a local hardware store. Take one bucket of cold water and add 3 cups caustic soda in it. Stir the mixture well, let it fizz and heat up, and pour it down into the drain immediately. Leave for half an hour, and then pour a bucket of boiling water. Repeat this process if needed. However, caustic is a harmful chemical that can damage your skin. So, wear eyeglasses and rubber gloves while handling it.
4. Baking Soda and Salt
Mix half cup baking soda in half cup of salt and pour it into the blocked drain. Leave for half an hour and then pour boiling water into it. The mixture of all these three ingredients will cause a chemical reaction that is effective in dissolving stubborn blockages of your drainage system. But you need to flush out your drains after doing this process.
5. Dish Detergent
Pour half cup of dish detergent in the drain. Boil some water and pour it down. Dish detergent works as a lubricant that can easily break up any fat and grease in the drainpipe. Get ready with your plunger and start plunging. If the drain can’t be cleared with a plunger, wear your rubber gloves and use your hand to clear the blockage. Hands can’t reach a deep drain, but it can be an effective way to clear a sink, toilet, wash basin or bathtub.
6. Using the Right Tools
There are different tools that are specifically designed to clear a blocked drain. Some of them are plunger, auger, drain snake, bent wire hanger, or wire brush. Use the right one as per the length of the pipe. You may also need to use some drain cleaning chemicals if these home remedies don’t work.
So, if you have a blocked drain, use any of the above-mentioned methods to clear it yourself. But these methods are for minor blockages only, and you cannot deal with underneath drainage system with such DIY tools. In this regard, you need to call professional drain cleaning services.
My name is Anna Wrench and I'm a knowledgeable and qualified blogger. I adore writing blogs on many topics like home improvement, automotive, business, health, lifestyle, entertainment, and pets.
These are great tips, thanks!