The Homeowner’s Guide On Using Homemade Drain Cleaners

Cleaning your drains regularly will certainly do you a lot of good. Aside from keeping them from smelling bad, they’ll stay clog-free thus preventing other sorts of plumbing issues! Now there’s no reason for you to spend so much money when cleaning your drains. You don’t have to buy expensive drain cleaners because there are a lot of things at home that you can use for this task. Here are some options you might want to consider!

1. Boiling Hot Water

 

Boiling hot water is great for cleaning your drains but not for clearing major clogs. After washing your greasy pots and pans or before you go to bed, pour a pot of boiling hot water into the drain pipe. Doing so will wash away the sticky substances and grease that has accumulated inside the pipes. Just be careful to avoid scalding your hands. Also remember that boiling hot water may damage ceramics so take precaution when dealing with your bathroom sink.

2. Baking Soda and Vinegar

 

Who doesn’t know that baking soda and vinegar make a great drain cleaner? We bet no one! This dynamic duo is popular for their effective cleaning power that’s not only great for drains but for cleaning other things, too! Pour a cup of your preferred baking soda in the drain and make sure that it touches the walls of the pipes. Afterward, pour a cup of white vinegar. Plug the drain right away and let the two create a chemical reaction. When you no longer hear a fizzing sound, remove the plug and pour hot water into the drain to wash away the residues.

3. Baking Soda and Lemon Juice

 

If you want to give your drains a fresh smell, substitute the vinegar with lemon juice. You don’t have to squeeze fresh lemons for this task. The lemon juice in carton will do the trick. Once again, use the same ratio. Pour a cup of baking soda into the drain pipe and instead of pouring a cup of baking soda after that, pour a cup of lemon juice. Plug the drain and let the two ingredients produce a chemical reaction. Wash away the residues with hot water afterward.

4. Borax, Salt and Vinegar

 

Have you tried the combination of these three? Well, it’s time that you do! The ratio of the ingredients is ¼ cup of salt and ¼ cup of borax to a cup of vinegar. To use this solution, get a small bowl and combine the borax and salt. Pour the mixture into the drain and then follow up with the vinegar. As usual, wash the drain pipe with hot water after approximately 30 minutes.

5. Alka Seltzer and Vinegar

 

The good news is, Alka Seltzer is not only great for treating stomach issues. Yup, you can also use it for your drains! Drop about 4 tablets of Alka Seltzer into the drain and the pour a cup of vinegar right away. Plug the drain and the two ingredients will create the same reaction as the baking soda and vinegar.

We hope that you learned how to use homemade drain cleaners properly. If the problem persists, just call the most reliable Dumfries plumbing contractors. Plumbers 911 Washington DC provides emergency plumbing services in Dumfries VA including drain cleaning, camera sewer inspection, septic tank maintenance, backflow prevention, gas system installation and many more! Call us now at (877) 932-5325 to schedule a service!

Learn how to clean a bathtub drain by watching this video!