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Tips to Unclog Clogged Drains in Your Plumbing

When drains become seriously clogged, they can bring your day to a screeching halt. Drain clearing is another common plumbing task around the house.Thankfully, there are several easy and safe ways to address these stubborn issues without the use of harmful chemical cleaners. 

Kitchen clogs tend to be grease and food scraps, while bathroom clogs typically involve a sticky cocktail of hair and soap scum. These types of clogs require solutions that are more heavy-duty than simple baking soda and vinegar fizz-ups. 

1. Plunger 

A plunger is one of the most effective tools you can have on hand to tackle many home plumbing problems. Keeping a plunger, or two, around the house is affordable and can keep you ahead of the toilet and sink clogs for years. 

The standard plunger has a rubber cup that fits snugly over sink, tub and shower drains to create suction. It is best used for flat surfaces and can usually dislodge most clogs. 

When plunging a drain, make sure the bell of the plunger is completely submerged in water to prevent air from escaping and decreasing suction power. Use quick, concentrated thrusts for about 20 seconds to create a strong seal that will pull water and debris downward. 

2. Dish Soap 

A sink clog is typically caused by a build-up of grease and soap scum. Often this can be cleared using a simple dish of liquid soap. Pour a liberal amount down the drain and let it sit for a few minutes. Then flush the drain with hot water. 

For bathtub clogs, which are most commonly hair-related, try a combination of baking soda and vinegar. The fizzing action can loosen hair and other debris that is causing the blockage. 

Regular use of this method can prevent clogs from developing in the first place. Keeping kitchen and bathroom drains clean by scraping plates and cookware into the trash, and regularly flushing them with hot water can help keep clogs at bay. For more serious clogs, you can try using a drain snake (often called an auger) that can be purchased at most hardware stores. 

3. Baking Soda 

Baking soda is basic and vinegar is acidic, creating a reaction that's tough on clogs. Pouring about 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar helps break up a clog. You can also add hot water to speed up the reaction and flush the clog. It's also a good idea to place strainers in your sink and tub, to catch food particles and hair that can easily clog drains. 

If a stinky clog isn't responding to your homemade solutions, try this trick: Pour a pot

of boiling water down the drain. This creates a pressurized reaction, loosening pipe grunge and helping to deodorize your drain. For more severe clogs, you may need something stronger, like Liquid-Plumr(tm). Regular cleaning and prevention can prevent most drain clogs. 

4. Garbage Disposal 

Garbage disposals make it easier to wash food scraps, which cuts down on funky odors and pests. But these appliances can also cause backups when they become clogged with the wrong foods and debris. 

Some types of food should never go into a garbage disposal, including stringy waste, like celery stalks and onion skins; hard items, such as eggshells and corn husks; and fats, which can coagulate and gum up the blades and drain pathways. Also avoid coffee grounds, which build up and turn into a thick paste that causes clogs. 

To prevent clogs, run cold water for 30 seconds after the disposal finishes grinding up food. You can also use a natural drain cleaner that contains no bleach or harsh chemicals. These cleaners can be made with a quarter cup of baking soda and half a cup of vinegar. 

5. Drain Snakes 

Known as augers or plumber snakes, these slender tools can break apart and dislodge blockages that a plunger cannot. They are coiled metal wires with a corkscrew tip that either breaks the clog or grabs onto it so you can pull it out. They come in handheld versions that you crank with your hands and motorized models for use in drainpipes. 

You can prevent clogged drains by taking proactive measures like using strainers or screens in your sinks, throwing away large food scraps, and pouring hot water down the drain after heavy usage. If these DIY fixes fail to unclog a stubborn drain, it might be time to call a professional. Sometimes trying plumbing repairs on your own can lead to more damage which is timely and costly. One ofMelbourne's best plumbers, Fix-It Right Plumbing, have the experience and tools necessary to help with unclogging drains in your homes. They have many excellent reviews from happy Melbourne customers.