There are many ways to unclog your drain. However, it is not always easy to determine which method is best for your home’s plumbing. It’s best, to begin with, the most gentle solutions to avoid damaging your pipes, before moving on to more severe measures.
These are DIY ways to unclog your drain at home.
- A Bent Wire Hanger Is A Good Choice To Unclog A Sink
Dirt, hair, and food can all clog drains. They bind to soap scum on the drainpipe walls. This can cause water flow to slow down over time.
A simple hook can unclog a sink. Make a small hook at the end of the wire by using a regular coat hanger. This end should be pushed slowly into the plughole. Do not push the wire downwards as this could cause the blockage to move further down the drain. To help clear the blockage, you can use gentle “prodding”, and “hooking” motions.
- Dish Detergent For Shower And Toilet Drains
Shower drains can easily get clogged with hair. It’s usually poop or excess toilet paper from the female sanitary products, or cotton wool balls. Throw anything other than toilet paper in your trash).
Because it dissolves residue and lubricates the drain, dish detergent is a great option. Add a cup of dish detergent and boil water. To remove the blockage, use a plunger. Rubber gloves can be used to remove the blockage.
- Vinegar And Baking Soda
This mixture is not only for 7th-grade volcanoes! The mixture’s fizzing power may also be used to clear mild clogs such as those in your bathroom sink.
Pour boiling water down the drain. Wait until it clears. Next, pour half a cup of baking soda down your drain. Next, add one cup of hot water to the drain along with one cup of white vinegar. Allow the mixture to work for at least an hour. However, it is best to allow it to sit for as long as possible to maximize its effect.
- Baking Soda Doesn’t Work Try Washing Soda
Washing soda is the next best option if baking soda fails you.
The common use of washing soda (also known as sodium carbonate) is in cleaning products. It makes a great DIY tool for unclogging drains. It is more acidic than baking soda, making it a stronger drain cleaner.
Put some boiling water in the sink. Next, add a cup of washing soda. Next, add a cup of boiling water to the sink and let it sit for five minutes. This should clear any blockages. If the sink drains slowly, you can repeat this process.
- Use A Dry/Wet Vacuum
The wet/dry vacuum does exactly as its name suggests – it can clean liquids and dry dirt. These guys are used to collecting waste from blocked drains, particularly if it is very high up.
To prevent any mess, seal the plughole with an old plunger head. Next, turn the vacuum onto the liquid setting for the strongest suction and then place the plughole over it. Turn on the vacuum and let it run for about 1-2 minutes. Turn off the vacuum and then run the water slowly to check if it hasn’t been blocked.
- Get Rid Of The P-Trap
If these methods fail to unclog your drain, you might need to remove the cause. You don’t have to call a blocked drain plumber to unclog your p-trap.
The p trap is the curved pipe that runs under your sink to catch any debris and prevent it from entering your home’s plumbing system. To catch any excess water, place a bucket underneath your sink. Next, use a wrench or pair of pliers to remove the u-shaped pipe under your sink (the p trap). You can empty the bucket and then take the p trap to another sink to clean and rinse. Replace the p-trap to check if it is clogged.
