3 Ways To Unclog The Drain

Clogged drains are such a huge pain in the neck.  I don’t know about you, but I’m willing to try just about anything before I have to call a plumber.  I’d also prefer to avoid using harsh chemicals whenever possible. Before I call a plumber, I try these 3 ways to unclog the drain first:

1. Drain snake or drain cleaning tools.   Honestly, these things have saved me on more than one occasion.  My daughter has hair to her waist so her shower drain needs one about once per month.
   They are really easy to use and you should always have a couple in your house.  Don’t wait until the drain is clogged, just buy one now.  Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
   I just unscrew the drain plug and then gently work the tool down each slot in the shower drain.  You will be shocked at what comes out.  It’s incredibly disgusting, but I’m just glad it works.
   I always wear rubber gloves so I don’t have to touch the nastiness that gets stuck to the tool.  You can remove the debris and wash the tool for reuse.  Or, if that’s too much for you, you can just throw them out.  They’re cheap enough if you don’t want to handle the mess.
   This is by far my favorite way to unclog the drain.  It works in my bathroom sink and the master tub as well.
2. Baking Soda and Water – This isn’t my favorite method but it sometimes works to unclog the kitchen drain and also as a garbage disposal deodorizer.
   I start by slowly dumping a large saucepan of boiling water down the drain to get things loosened up.
   Then I dump 1/4 cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal.
   Next, I turn the disposal on without running any water for just a couple of seconds to spread the baking soda around a bit. I let it sit for about 10 minutes then dump a cup of white vinegar into the drain and let it sit for 10 minutes.  It will fizzle a bit and help loosen up other debris.  Last, I rinse really well with hot water.
3. The Plunger – Most people only think of the plunger for the toilet, but it works for all types of drains.  The really flat old-fashioned one works for me since it usually fits tightly around most drains.  After I clear what I can with the tool mentioned in #1 above, I’ll use the plunger to create a suction around the drain and plunge like you normally would in a toilet.  Make sure you keep the second plunger around that’s good for use in tubs, showers and kitchen sinks.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the one that’s been in my toilet to be in other places.  Yuck!

Do you have any other drain cleaning tips that work for you?  I’d love to hear about them!

xoxo,

Denise