There’s nothing worse than not being able to use your shower or sink because it’s clogged. It’s an inconvenient occurrence that happens to homeowners all too often. Unfortunately, there are many products marketed to clear drains using harmful chemicals. These chemicals can damage your plumbing system and lead to even more serious issues down the road.
How can you unclog a drain without harmful chemicals? Give some of these tricks a try before you turn to that store-bought bottle:
Plunging
While many people think that their plunger can only be used with their toilet, they’re good for sink and shower drains, as well. All you have to do to effectively dislodge a clogged drain with a plunger is to cover any of the overflow openings and go to town with the plunger over the drain. It should take about ten plunges to get the desired effect.
If your first attempt at plunging doesn’t work, try running hot water in the drain to loosen things up before trying again. Remember that if your sink has two drains, you’ll need to cover the one that isn’t clogged for plunging to be effective.
Snaking
Depending on what’s blocking your drain, you might have better luck with a drain snake than a plunger. It’s recommended that you purchase a drain snake specifically made for this purpose, but you can also use any type of stiff wire, including a coat hanger. Gently probe the drain using the wire or snake to loosen up the clog.
Always make sure you can pull the snake back up when you are finished. You never want to put the snake so far down that you could lose your grip on it and contribute to an even greater clog of your drain.
Natural Solutions
If you don’t feel comfortable or equipped to manually unclog the drain, then you might want to turn to a more natural solution. Think back to your elementary school science days and mix up a combination of baking soda, vinegar, and hot water. The two primary ingredients will interact, which will create pressure inside your drain. This might be enough to clear away the clog without the need for harmful chemicals.
All you need to do is pour about ½ cup of baking soda down the drain first and follow it up with ½ cup of white vinegar. Pour plenty of hot water down the drain after these first two ingredients have been added.
Call the Professionals
If these solutions aren’t enough to dislodge a clog in your drain, then it might be time to call in the professionals. Avoid using the harsh chemicals found in store-bought drain cleaners that can cause damage to your pipes. Contact Clean Line for emergency plumbing in Winnipeg whenever you encounter a drain that you just can’t unclog. We are always ready and waiting to help you find a solution so that your home can get back to normal!
