Use these drain cleaning techniques for safe DIY plumbing
You’re just finishing up dishes when you notice that instead of draining, your sink has just been holding the water. Now, with a sink full of dirty water, you’re left to wonder what went wrong. Unfortunately, there are many things that could be slowing down your drain or causing a complete blockage. Clogged drains can lead to busted or leaking pipes, higher water bills and more plumbing problems. It’s important that you clear the blockage immediately. However, with all the chemical drain cleaners out there, it can be difficult to tell what’s good for your system and what’s bad.
Chemical Drain Cleaners v. Natural Drain Cleaners
It’s the age-old question when it comes to drain cleaning, natural or chemical? While it’s easy to drive to the store and pick up a bottle that says ‘drain cleaning’ on it, it’s much better for your system to use natural drain cleaning techniques. In fact, the harsh chemical used in store-bought drain cleaning products could actually be doing more damage than good including causing damage to pipes that could lead to further leaks and breakages. It really is best to use the following natural drain cleaners to help you solve your problem:
Drain Snake
It can be your best friend when it comes to drain clogs in the kitchen or bathroom. It allows you to reach far down into your drain to clear minor blockages that are causing slow drains. However, if the blockage is too far down, you may need help from a professional with access to commercial equipment.
Wire Hanger
Don’t have a drain snake? Use the next best thing! By straightening a wire hanger with a small hook on the end, you can create your own drain snake to clear minor clogs from bathrooms, kitchens, etc.
Boiling Water
One of the best natural drain cleaners in simply boiling water. Many times, pouring boiling water down the drain will help dissolve blockages without any assistance at all.
Plunger
Another common household tool that you can use is the plunger. That’s right – a plunger isn’t just for the toilet. It can help clear blockages in any drain including the kitchen, laundry room, etc.
Baking Soda & Vinegar
It’s seemingly everyone’s first chemistry experiment, and it stands to reason that this could help clear the drains. However, it truly is more fizzing bubbles than something that’s actually working, but it won’t hurt anything to try.
Dish Liquid
By pairing dish liquid with boiling water, you have a pretty powerful natural drain cleaner. The dish liquid acts as a degreaser while the boiling water works to dissolve built-up fats, grease, etc.
Plumber
There’s nothing more natural than calling another living person to solve your problem. An experienced plumber will know just what it takes to unclog your system in no time.
