Clogged drains are undoubtedly a massive annoyance. They can contribute to horrible odors, insect infestations, mold development, water contamination and even health troubles. Luckily, you don’t have to sit back and tolerate drain clogs and all their consequences. If you learn how to unclog a drain naturally, you can spare yourself all sorts of stress factors. This is a simple DIY plumbing project you can try.
Understanding the Natural Way to Unclog a Drain
Do you want to learn how to unclog a drain with standing water naturally? Read further to get the scoop and save yourself from many possible plumbing headaches.
First gather the essentials. These things are vinegar, a big pot of boiling water and, last but not least, baking soda.
Once you have everything you need, you can officially get started. Pour the water from the pot down the drain in question.
If your clog is inside of the P-trap, odds are high that the water will successfully dissolve and therefore do away with the blockage. Boiling water can be especially effective on clogs that are the result of soap and grease accumulation.
It’s critical to refrain from pouring boiling water down any drains that are equipped with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes. Boiling water’s sea level temperature is 22 degrees Fahrenheit. PVC pipes become soft at a temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Boiling water, because of that, can harm plastic pipes considerably.
You should go above and beyond to pour your mixture down your drain in a completely straight style. Refrain from pouring it down the drain at an angle. If you’re careful here, you’ll be able to avoid the hazards of getting boiling water anywhere on your face or your hands.
Introduce vinegar and baking soda to the mix. Add one cup of water to one cup of vinegar first. Then, blend a single baking soda cup in with your vinegar and water formula. Pour the new blend down the drain. Replace your drain cover and allow things to sit for 10 full minutes.
Vinegar is part of the acid category. Baking soda, on the other hand, is classified as a base. They’re the primary ingredients in your formula and should react to each other by fizzling. This natural response allows the clog to loosen up. Since the boiling water kicked off the loosening process, the vinegar and baking soda blend should only enhance things.
Introduce more water. Once 10 full minutes have gone by, you can pour boiling water down your drain again just like you did in the beginning. Then, all you have to do is assess the progress of your hard work. Take the cover of your drain off and put on the water.
If your water is able to drain in an effective and normal manner, you were able to successfully take care of the clog. You did so without the use of any aggressive chemicals as well.
Naturally Unclogging Drains That Are Outdoors
Are you interested in tackling an outside drain clog? You can basically approach this just like you do indoors. Again, pour the boiling water down the drain. The difference is, after you do that, you should give it more time to “linger” than just 10 minutes. Allow it to linger for half an hour or so. You can utilize your vinegar and baking soda mix after 30 minutes have gone by. You can introduce even more water after that as well.
A Plunger May Work
If you want to unclog a kitchen sink drain, the assistance of a plunger may work like a charm. Bits of food tend to get trapped at drain curves below the sink. It can be tough to access these bits of food using hooks, too. Thankfully, plungers are often able to clear these clogs out well. You can start by making sure your sink is free of rags or dishes. Fill your sink up 50 percent using tap water that’s warm. After you do that, you’re ready to plunge. Rubber plungers can be particularly effective for this job.
Call the Emergency Plumbing Squad
Are you looking for help with a stubborn drain clog? Schedule an appointment for drain service at the Emergency Plumbing Squad staff without hesitation.