Maintaining a home involves constant attention, especially in regard to the plumbing system. Inevitably, over time and with much use, drains can become stopped-up and will overflow if not dealt with immediately. Few things are as frustrating to deal with than a clogged drain, and while contacting a plumber is always advised when you have plumbing problems, there are some DIY ways of cleaning your drainage to restore flow.
7 DIY Ways to Clean Your Drainage
If you have a clogged kitchen or bathroom drain, it won’t go away on its own, you may need some help. However, before calling a licensed plumber, you may be able to unclog it yourself by cleaning your drainage 7 DIY ways:
- Use a Plunger
One of the most effective ways to unclog a drain is to use a plunger to restore flow, in many cases, this will work easily. Although, if you have a clogged drain in a double sink, you may have some difficulty as you will need to first seal off the second side using a cloth or a rubber stopper. If this does not work to unclog your drain, or you do not have a plunger available, then there are other things you can try to loosen the obstruction.
- Pour Boiling Water Down Drainage
If you have drainage that is not 100% clogged but drains very slowly, then you can try to use boiling water to dislodge the obstruction. Boil a kettle of water, remove as much standing water as you can or wait until it slowly drains away, then pour the hot water directly into the drain and wait.
The hot water may loosen the obstruction, which can restore flow or make it easier for the plunger to dislodge whatever is causing the clog. Don’t be discouraged if this doesn’t work at first, you may need to repeat the process a couple of times.
- Salt
If boiling water alone doesn’t help restore flow to your drain, then try pouring a half cup of table salt down your drain and let it sit for a few minutes before pouring hot water again. The salt may help to loosen the obstruction, making it easier to dislodge whatever is blocking the flow of water.
- Banking Soda and Vinegar
Other ingredients you can try to dislodge an obstruction blocking the flow of water in your drain is a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. After removing as much standing water as possible, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar, this will cause the baking soda to fizzle and bubble-up. After the hot water is poured down the drain again, this chemical reaction could cause the obstruction in your drain to loosen so that water can flow again.
- Wire Coat Hanger
If the above-mentioned attempts have not worked you could use a metal coat hanger to try and reach and dislodge something that is preventing water from flowing down your drain. However, a wire coat hanger will not be effective when used to unclog a kitchen sink drain because of the u-shaped drainpipe called the p-trap.
- Empty the P-Trap
If the drain in your kitchen sink is clogged, then you should try and empty or clear the p-trap, which is fairly easy to do. Many p-traps have a screw at the bottom that allows you to drain any water or debris that is stuck there. Before removing the drain screw, make sure you place a bucket underneath the p-trap to catch the water.
- Rent or Purchase a Drain Auger/Plumber’s Snake
A drain auger, also known as a plumber’s snake, is a spring wire that comes in various lengths that are used to unclog small household drains. These are relatively easy to use, the end of the spring wire has a boring head that is fed into the clogged drain, the wire is turned using a steel crank handle to dislodge obstructions.
While the above-mentioned DIY ways to unclog your drain may or may not work, it is advised to contact the best plumber Northside Brisbane to make sure that your drainage problems are not caused by a damaged pipe. Ideally, it is easier to avoid drainage problems by scheduling a plumbing inspection, and by preventing things like food, hair, grease, coffee grounds, or any other items from entering your drains.
