Drain clogs are a part of life for homeowners. They’re one of those things like car problems or issues with your roof—it’s only a matter of time before you find yourself dealing with one, and avoiding them is flat out impossible. However, unlike the other two issues, fixing a drain clog is something that you may be able to do yourself. And here’s the best part: you probably don’t even need specialized tools or dangerous chemicals to do it. In fact, there are a number of natural and easy ways to get rid of a clog without potentially damaging your drain or sewer line.
Here are four of these natural drain clog remedies that you should keep in mind the next time you’ve got a stubborn blockage on your hands.
Baking Soda & Vinegar
Remember that elementary school chemistry project where you used household materials to make an erupting volcano? Well, the “lava” from your eruption was more than likely a chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar, and this same experiment could be the trick to getting rid of your drain clog.
Here’s how: allow your drain to dry for several hours without using it if at all possible. Once dry, pour a hefty supply of baking soda down the drain. For small drains, use around a few tablespoons, and for large drains you can use up to around half of a cup. Next, mix a cup of vinegar and a cup of piping hot water together. Get a drain stopper ready to go, then immediately pour the mixture down the drain and block it off with the stopper. Let the mixture sit for five to ten minutes and then flush it down the drain one more time with a pot of boiling hot water. You’ll find that there’s a pretty strong chance that your clog has become loose and possibly even disappeared down the drain altogether thanks to the cleaning power of two things you more than likely have sitting around in your cabinets.
The Boiling Water Method
The boiling water method is extremely effective against clogs that feature a lot of oily, waxy, or fatty bonding substances that hold the clog together. The boiling water tends to melt these substances quickly, resulting in the clog falling apart and washing away. The trick to this one is simple: a lot of hot water poured very quickly.
Boil a pot of water. Once the water is piping hot, pour it quickly down the drain but be careful not to overflow your sink or burn yourself from pouring too quickly. Let the hot water sit for a few minutes and before long you should find your drain has sped up or even cleared up completely.
If that doesn’t work, try adding about a half-cup of liquid soap to your boiling water before pouring it down your drain. Soap helps loosen some of those more stubborn clogs and can remove a ton of grime from the inside of your drain line.
The Soda Trick
Have you ever seen those demonstrations of just how nasty soda can be when other substances like raw meat or vegetables are left in them for even short periods of time? This is simultaneously a great reason to avoid drinking these things completely, but also a great reason to keep a bottle or two around the house. Believe it or not, harsh sodas like Coca-Cola can actually make great drain clog removers purely because of their incredibly corrosive qualities. The acids are not generally strong enough to do damage to your plumbing system or burn you if they touch your skin, but it could very well eat away at the clog in your line, loosening it so it can be flushed away. Pour about a cup of fresh cola down the drain and leave it for an hour or two before flushing your drain with hot water—your clog may very well flush right away with it.
The Lemon Cube Trick for Foul Odors
Sometimes clogs aren’t the only issue you have to deal with. While your clog may be gone, you may be stuck with the pungent smell of a clog for quite some time (particularly if you used the vinegar method mentioned previously). Not to worry, there are solutions for this as well. Buy a few lemons from your grocery store and cut them into small chunks. Place these small chunks in an ice cube tray, then cover them with water and freeze them. When you clear your clog away, take a few of these chunks, throw them down your drain, and then activate your garbage disposal with the hot water running. The ice will quickly melt and help wash away any debris in your line while the shredded lemon releases a wonderful citrus smell that will quickly eliminate any residual odors from the clog.
If you’ve got a nasty clog in your drains that you can’t seem to get rid of, trust the experts from H.L. Moe Co., Inc. to fix it for you! Dial (818) 396-8002 today book a drain cleaning service.