Clogged drains are a nuisance. Remember standing in the shower and noticing the water puddling around the drain? We have all faced them one time or another. It gets complicated to unclog and take care of a block-drain.
Often the hair, dirt, and trash get stuck in the shower drain and clog it. Also, while doing the dishes, leftover food might get stuck in the sinkhole and choke it. Blocked drains can hinder your daily work and be very frustrating. Besides, pooled water can also cause mold and mildew, which can destroy your property. Undrained water may also give out a foul odor and hinder your daily activities.
Choked drains are an issue that is quite common in the most developed nations in the world, and even if you exist in a developed country like Australia, you come across this problem every once in a while. There are many ways to tackle blocked drains, the most convenient of which is to leave it with professionals who will get the job done without a hassle.
A Magic Mixture – Baking Soda and Vinegar
We all know how homemade solutions are, at times, way better in dealing with problems than other products. This mixture of baking soda and vinegar is one of those solutions. It will unclog your drain in a jiffy. The added advantage is that it would not even cost you a penny since baking soda and vinegar are essential pantry items in a household.
Take a glass and add in approximately 1/3rd of a cup of baking soda. Add in 1/3rd of a cup of vinegar to the glass and mix it well with the baking soda. The concoction will fizz furiously. Pour the mixture down the drain without any delay. Let the mixture sit in for around an hour or, if feasible, let it stay overnight. Later, flush the waste with boiling water.
The baking soda and vinegar mixture will remove all the gunk, dirt, and hair buildup inside the drain. The hot water flush will help wash all the dirt out and will leave the drain squeaky clean.
Do the Obvious: Clean
This is a straightforward method to unclog blocked pipes in the sink. If you are someone who withers away at the thought of cleaning a drain, this method might not be as difficult for you.
All you need to do is to place a bucket right below the U-shaped pipe underneath the sink. The bucket is for holding all the blocked gunk and to avoid creating a mess on the bathroom floor. Use an appropriately sized wrench and loosen the pipe from both ends.
Once loose, carefully pull the pipe out and drain the contents into the bucket. This might not be enough, though. Take a curved rod or something that you can use to fish out stuck contents inside the pipe. Clean the pipe thoroughly. You can also use an old toothbrush to scrape clean the insides of the pipe. Don’t forget to clean the ducts that stay attached to the sink. They might have dirt stuck inside as well, and if not cleaned, the choked drain may persist. Wash the pipe thoroughly and attach it back to the sink again with the wrench. Often, this is enough to get the job done.
Caustic Soda – Drain
Caustic Soda or Sodium Hydroxide is a chemical that can help you unclog drains. However, it can easily scald you and can cause severe burns. Be sure to be adequately covered with gloves, a mask, and some eye-protection before using caustic soda.
Caustic soda can easily be available at any local hardware store, but make sure you put in caution while handling it. Take a large cleaning bucket and pour in ¾ gallon of cold water. Add in 3 cups of caustic soda and using a large wooden spoon, mix it well. Once mixed, the concoction will fizzle and froth. You will also notice the solution for heating a little. Pour it down the drain and let it sit for around an hour.
Later, flush the drain with hot boiling water. This will drain away all the tough dirt and gunk. You can repeat pouring the caustic soda mixture down the drain, if necessary. Using caustic soda is a natural alternative to draining liquids available in the market. Simple and cheap, it will unclog your drain instantly!
The Drain Snake
A drain snake is a piece of essential plumbing equipment. It is a slender wire attached to a drill-like machine on one end. The wire coils at the tip, with broader gaps in between and is able to plunge out all the stuck gunk and dirt inside any clogged drain.
A plumber’s snake, or drain snake, is very beneficial for tough clogs that cannot be loosened with other more straightforward methods, such as a plunger. It comes in different types for different drains. However, the objective and functioning are, more or less, the same. Just detach the pipe or the drain covering, stick the coiled wire, and using the drill rotates the wire up the pipe or down the drain hole.
Keep pushing the wire up and down the hole. This will help pull out all the gunk and dirt clogging the drain. It is a super convenient and effortless way of unclogging a choked drain.
Dish Detergent: Not Only for The Dishes
Dish detergent is a soapy liquid that can come in very handy to loosen up tough dirt and gunk clogged inside a drain. Take a large bowl and put in ¼ of a cup of dish detergent. Add in some hot boiling water. This will make a soapy mixture. Pour the mixture down the drain. Let it sit for a while as the slippery foamy texture will help loosen the stuck dirt.
Later, using a plunger, pull out all the gunk clogging the drain. It is an extremely convenient method to unclog choked drains without putting in too much effort. Clogged drains are very frustrating if not taken care of on time. Using simple household items or some essential plunging equipment, such as the ones discussed above, you can make your drains clog-free and squeaky clean!
