People are under the impression that they need to purchase chemical products to clean or unclog drains. The harsh chemicals in these products are so caustic that they can burn the skin. They leave a chemical coating on the sink when they are attempting to unclog the drain. Contrarily, a non-toxic drain cleaner may be an effective, safe way to unclog a drain. If neither the chemical cleaner or the non-toxic cleaner are going to work, though, it’s best to use the non-toxic option, right? Right.
You may be interested to learn that Feng Shui masters say that clogged drains deplete your health, travel, finances, and aspirations. They may even lead to clogged sinuses! Whether or not that’s true remains to be seen, but a clogged drain is annoying and costly, especially if you have to involve a plumber. You don’t always need the chemical strength of a drain cleaner. You can often use a simple solution of a few natural ingredients, specifically vinegar and baking soda.
How Do Baking Soda And Vinegar Unclog Drains?
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a natural base, while vinegar is an acid. Combining an acid and a base creates an exchange of molecules that releases carbon dioxide. This bubbles through whatever is clogging the drain, attempting to loosen it and break it up into smaller material. It’s similar to the classic elementary school volcano science project that resulted in fizzy white “lava” that cascaded down the paper mache volcano.
That chemical reaction isn’t the only thing that works to fight drain clogs. You need one more ingredient besides baking soda and vinegar. That’s right, folks, this recipe requires boiling water. It’s a very rare substance, so we hope you can get your hands on it. All jokes aside, the boiling water creates added pressure to wash away any debris or goop out of the pipes.
How To Prime The Drain
Before you pour the DIY drain cleaner down the clogged drain, you have to remove as much standing water as you can. If the sink or tub is full of backed-up water, use a bucket to scoop out as much as possible. A little water is fine, but the baking soda and vinegar solution needs to be able to directly enter the drain opening. Also, be sure to remove the sink pop-up stopper if you have one in your sink or tub. This gives you better access to the drain.
DIY Drain Cleaner
Ingredients:
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup vinegar
Instructions:
- After clearing out the tub or sink with excess water (if that’s the case), pour the boiling water down the drain. Be careful while you pour the boiling water because you don’t want it to splatter.
- Pour the baking soda into the drain followed by the vinegar.
- Cover the drain with a stopper because the baking soda and vinegar will fizz and bubble up.
- When you cover the drain, you force the reaction downwards to target the clog.
- Wait 10 minutes and then pour another cup of boiling water down the drain to wash away the built-up and grime.
- Finally, flush the drain with hot water from the tap to remove remaining debris.
- This may take a few tries, but it’s a very simple method that can be effective and safe.
