Homemade Drain Cleaners

Cleaning your drains regularly can prevent major clogs and related plumbing nightmares. If you are already dealing with standing water in your tub or sink that seemingly takes forever to drain out, you need a fast solution.

Unfortunately, many store-bought products contain harsh chemicals that are unhealthy and that can damage your pipes over time. You could save money and avoid these ramifications by making a homemade drain cleaner. How do you make a homemade drain cleaner that works?

Do Homemade Drain Cleaners Work?

Often, clogs are caused by an accumulation of matter over time. This matter includes various oils from your body as well as hair, soap residue and others. Homemade drain cleaners work by breaking down the matter so that it can flow smoothly through the pipe and out of your house.

How Often Should You Have Drains Cleaned?

In high-use areas of the home, such as in a bathroom that is used daily, weekly drain cleaning is beneficial. This clears out matter that is accumulating before it becomes problematic. It also can eliminate unpleasant smells that are coming from the dirty drain. If you notice slow-draining water, the drain should be cleaned as soon as possible. If the drains are used less frequently, weekly drain cleaning is beneficial.

What Happens If You Don’t Clean Your Drains?

When your bathroom and kitchen drains aren’t cleaned regularly, the food residue, grease, oil, hair and other matter build up. As a clog forms and grows, you’ll notice that the water takes longer to drain than it once did.

Gradually, you’ll have an increasing amount of slow-draining water. After some time has elapsed, the clog will completely block the pipe, and water cannot flow through the pipe at all. This will prevent you from using the sink or tub until you deal with the clog.

What Is the Best DIY Drain Cleaner?

Two common household products can be used together to clear a clog and quickly restore your use of the plumbing feature. These are standard baking soda and plain distilled white vinegar. When vinegar, a mild acidic agent, mixes with baking soda, the combination makes a fizzing reaction that creates carbon dioxide gas. This gas plays a critical role in naturally and effectively breaking down the clog.You’ll need to pour an ample amount of baking soda down the drain. Wait several minutes. Then, pour straight distilled vinegar down the drain. Don’t run the faucet. Instead, boil a pot of water. Pour the hot water down the drain.

If your drain is already completely clogged, use a cup or bowl to remove as much of the standing water as possible. Then, follow the follow the steps to clear the clog.

More Drain Cleaner Recipes

What if you don’t have one of these ingredients stashed away in your cabinets? There are some other combinations that are just as effective at clearing clogs from drains:

Dish Soap

Dish soap has degreasing properties and can remove clogs. Boil a pot of water, and add a few drops of liquid dish soap. After the mixture passes through the problematic drain, the clog should be gone.

Baking Soda with Salt

Combine a half cup of baking soda and a half cup of table salt in a bowl, and mix the ingredients well. After pouring the contents of the bowl down the drain, let it sit for at least an hour. Then, use hot water to rinse the matter out of the pipe.

Baking Soda with Salt and Cream of Tartar

Pour a full pot of boiling water through the drain. Then, put two cups of baking soda along with two tablespoons of cream of tartar in the drain. Let this sit for at least an hour before washing it clear with another pot of hot water.

Borax with Salt and Vinegar

Combine a half cup of Borax and table salt in a bowl. Run the ingredients into the drain, and add a half cup of white vinegar. Let the ingredients stand undisturbed for at least an hour. You can then run hot water through the pipe.

Baking Soda with Lemon Juice

Pour a half cup of baking soda directly down the drain. Then, add a half cup of pure lemon juice. After an hour, wash these ingredients and the clog away using a pot of hot water.

These recipes will work in most cases. However, if you’re dealing with a stubborn clog, a different strategy may be necessary. One idea is to use the largest hand-held attachment or an open hose on a wet vacuum. Put the attachment or hose directly up to the drain, and let the vacuum suck out the clog. Another option is to use a pipe snake, which can be purchased at your local home improvement store.

Staying on top of all of your home’s maintenance and cleaning needs may require more time and energy than you have to give. If you need extra help keeping your home in tip-top shape, the Cleanzen cleaners are available to do the dirty work. Book your cleaning services today.