Tips To Unblock a Clogged Drain

Have you come across a nasty odor from the drains, your sink, or the toilet tub? Is the water pressure lower than what you are used to, and you cannot tell why? Are your sink and pipes draining water slower than normal? These are some of the indicators of clogged drains. Some of the factors that may have led to the dirt’s buildup on such drains include hairs, food waste, and sediments from hard water. You do not have to suffer from clogged drains.

The following are some of the approaches to fix your clogged drains at home:

Use baking soda and vinegar

This is a homemade solution that can help unclog your drains. Mix one-third of a cup of vinegar with a similar amount of baking soda. The solution will fizz immediately, and you should then pour it down the clogged drain. The fizzing action will help remove grim, the gunk, and hairs built up on the drains over time. You can let this mixture sit in the drain for one hour or even overnight and let it work its magic. You can then flash with hot water. You can also try to get as much baking soda as you can down the drain, then pour water on the vinegar.

Plunging

It is one of the easiest ways to get your drains back in shape. A plunger is available in most hardware stores, and you do not need any special training to use one. It is easy to unclog your kitchen sink using a plunger. To unclog, place the cup over the opening of the clogged sink and ensure that it is completely covered. Fill the sink with water until it covers the cup. Make up-and-down motions until the water drains from the sink. You can then add more water to wash the dirt from the sink.

Boiling water

Hot water from your kitchen might all that you need to drain the dirt. You can use a stove or a kettle to boil as much water as possible. You can then pour the hot water in two or three stages, but allow the hot water to work on the drain for several seconds between each stage. This approach works best if the clogging is due to cooking oil buildup. However, the approach might not be effective when you want to do away with accumulated hairs.

Use your wire hanger

Get your coat hanger and straighten it to your level best. You can then bend one end and create a small hook. This small hook will push over the cover of the drain and start your fishing journey. This approach is not meant to push the dirt inwards but pull it outwards. It is one of the best approaches to get hairs and any other stuff that can stick on a typical wire. You can then run hot water through the drain and clear any other dirt that the wire might not get.

Use caustic soda

This approach requires some protection level such as gloves and a pair of eyeglasses as caustic soda can cause some nasty chemical burns. The chemical is readily available in most stores, but you need care while handling it. Put about three cups of caustic soda into a bucket and then add ¾ gallon of cold water. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it is even and starts to fizz and heat up. Pour the mixture into the clogged drain, leave it there for about 30 minutes and then flush it with hot water. You can repeat the process several times until the drains flow easily.

Get a plumber

The above approaches are effective for moderate clogs. However, there are some instances where such DIY approaches will not work and force you to call an expert. A clogged drain may lead to the bursting of pipes, making your home inhabitable. The leakages may also interfere with the electrical system and lead to electrical shortages. The ideal clogged drain plumber in Sydney should be reliable and experienced on this job. You do not want someone who will cause more problems than you already have in your home. It should also be a company that offers emergency services irrespective of the time of the day. The approach that you will take will depend on the resources available and on the type of drain that is clogged. Adding mesh screens to the drains or insulating your pipes are some of the best approaches for preventing clogging.