What is that stench in your house?
You get home from work and are on a mission to find that unpleasant aroma that is wafting around. You go to wash your hands and discover the kitchen sink won’t drain. Now you know the source of the stink, but what do you do?
Here are a few handy DIY tips for clearing blocked drains. One of them should work!
Boiling Water
Did you know you shouldn’t pour grease down the kitchen sink? It might be liquid while hot, but as it cools it congeals and develops a jellylike consistency perfect for catching other debris and creating a clog.
If this is the source of your blockage, all you need to do is heat the grease to break up the clog. Do this by dumping boiling water down the drain.
Baking Soda and Salt
If the boiling water by itself didn’t have the desired effect, trying ramping it up with this technique. Mix half a cup of salt and half a cup of baking soda together and pour this down the drain first.
Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Now you can pour the boiling water down the drain. The baking soda and salt mixture creates a chemical reaction that weakens and dissolves the gunk in your drain. Boiling water heats the grease and washes it all away.
Take a Plunger to It
A toilet plunger is an effective tool for clearing any drain in the home, not just those in the bathroom. Place the suction cup end over the drain and make sure it gets a good seal. Underground Drainage Pipes is also a good option to clean blocked drains pipe.
Pump the handle up and down vigorously a few times. This will create pushing and pulling inside the pipe that is often enough to work the clog loose. Chase it with water to wash away the debris.
Soap It Out
Dish soap is another effective method for certain types of blockages. Pour a generous amount into the drain then pour some boiling water down.
With any luck, your drain will be clear. A bonus of this method is that it also takes care of that awful stench wafting out of the drain.
Time for Some Help
You may need a plumber to look at severe blockages. Things like tree roots growing into pipes or superhero action figures stuck in pipe elbows will never clear with drain cleaner.
Plumbers have tools like CCTV cameras that help them find the exact source and type of blockage. With that information, they will know which of their tools to use to clear the drain.
Free-Flowing Drains
Dealing with a blocked drain is the last thing you want to spend your Saturday afternoon doing. However, these tips make it easy to clear the drain and enjoy a fresh-smelling house once more. Give them a try and let us know which one works for you!