Dealing with a clogged drain can be infuriating. A slow sink can cause strong odours to fill your bathroom or kitchen, and when the sink starts to overflow, it can create a very unclean environment.
A blocked drain can cause significant problems for the rest of your home if action is not taken.
If you notice water gurgling, a strong smell coming from your sink or water draining slowly, it could indicate an obstruction in your drainage system.
A small blockage or drain clog in your bathroom or kitchen can be cleaned using various methods and household materials.
For more severe stormwater or sewer blockages, you can use a chemical drain cleaner. Another trick is to use baking soda to clear the blocked drain.
The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) process is excellent for moving slow drains and regular maintenance drain cleaning. With a plunger, you can get your drainage system working smoothly again.
However, it is always best to call a licensed plumber with the right tools and experience to clear a significant obstruction, such as a tree’s roots.
How Do You Unclog A Drain?
You can use a few methods to clear your clogged drains, and one particular way is relatively simple.
The baking soda and vinegar drain cleaning method has been used for a long time, and most people use this method for general household cleaning and clogged drains.
Vinegar has many antibacterial agents and, once combined with baking soda, creates a chemical reaction that eats away at grime and dirt.
As a drain cleaner, vinegar and baking soda down the drain together can effectively loosen up the build-up of grease, food, soap, and hair stuck in your pipes.
This approach is famous as an environmentally friendly way to unclog a drain. Using it as a drain cleaner means no harsh chemicals are used down your kitchen or bathroom sink to harm the natural environment and keep your drains free of clogs.
This technique is easy because the ingredients are household staples already in your pantry.
What Do You Need?
You will need these items to use the baking soda vinegar combination effectively.
- half a cup of baking soda (bicarb soda)
- one cup vinegar (white vinegar works best)
- 1 cup boiling water
What Are The Steps?
Step 1: Boil water and measure 1 cup into a jug.
Step 2: Carefully pour the boiling water down your sink. Ensure your hands are protected so you do not burn or scald yourself.
Step 3: Add half a cup of baking soda down the drain and let it sit for a few minutes.
Step 4: Add 1 cup of vinegar and another 1 cup of boiling water on top of the baking soda.
Step 5: Cover the drain with a drain plug and allow your ingredients to combine and form a reaction for 5-10 minutes.
Step 6: Finish the drain cleaning by carefully pouring more boiling water to wash away the powder, vinegar and any grime or grease clogging your sink and pipes.
Is It Okay To Put Baking Soda Down The Drain?
Unclogging a drain with baking soda and vinegar is ideal, as is using a strong chemical cleaner. It is safer for the environment and won’t impact the ecosystem.
Combining the vinegar and the baking soda with your hot water will create a bubbling reaction that breaks down soap scum, food residue, and other oily substances in your kitchen and bathroom drains. The final wash of boiling water helps to move the waste along and remove stubborn clogs. We will say it is better to use warm or hot tap water instead of boiling water as boiling water could damage plastic pipes.
There is no need for harsh drain cleaners. Use baking soda. All you need is a bit of baking soda and vinegar, and pour boiling water down your sink to keep it clean and smelling fresh. Remember, using baking soda and vinegar may not be enough for major blocked drains, so you may need to contact a licensed and professional drainage plumber who deals with severely blocked drains and has the right tools to unblock your drains.
Need a Plumbing Service?
When Does Your Baking Soda Method Not Work To Unclog Drains?
Suppose using the baking soda and vinegar solution or pouring hot water down your clogged drains doesn’t work, and you’ve even resorted to buying chemical drain cleaners. In that case, you’re better off hiring a professional to do the job.
Professional plumbers have the tools and techniques to work on your plumbing system. You won’t need your vinegar and baking soda mixture, for they use their high-pressure jet blasters and CCTV drain cameras to work on your drainage pipes and clean drains, even the most stubborn mineral deposits and fresh build-up. You can also contact your local plumber for a yearly plumbing inspection to avoid nasty surprises and costly repairs. So don’t hesitate to call your trusted licensed plumber to clean your blocked drains.
Unclogging drains and routine cleaning can be challenging. So, if you are in Sydney, call our blocked drain specialists at Fixed Today. We are experts and can clean clogged drains with ease! You can also speak to us about regular drain cleaning services.
