Got a blocked drain?
Blocked drains can be really disgusting and might even be making your house smell bad. In short, you want to get it fixed as quickly as possible.
The good news is there are several relatively easy ways to unblock a drain with varying degrees of effectiveness. Most of them are inexpensive and you can do them yourself, so it’s worth a try!
Here are a few of the most effective methods.
1. Homemade Cleaner
It might seem crazy, but did you know you could clear a blocked drain with baking soda and vinegar? When mixed together, the two create a vigorous fizzing action that can be enough to dissolve some or all of the clog.
At the least, it breaks it up enough to wash the debris away with water, though you may have to do it a few times to get results.
2. Store-Bought Cleaner
Store-bought cleaners work a little faster but are caustic and not very good for the environment. They’re also not very good for you, so take care when working with them.
3. Plunger
A toilet plunger works well to dislodge many types of drain clogs. The suction action created by pulling the device up and down pulls at the clog. Done enough times, the clog can work loose and wash away.
4. Homemade Drain Snake
Another great method is to make a homemade drain snake out of an old wire hanger. This works especially well on clogs made of hair (often in shower drains) but can also work on other types of clogs as well.
Simply straighten out the hanger and fashion a hook on one end. Then, feed the hanger into the drain until you get to the clog. Now, you can either hit it to break it up or try to hook pieces of the clog and pull it out.
5. Plumber’s Drain Snake
If your DIY methods fail, it’s time to call in a plumber. One of the first things they will try is to use their own drain snake. A professional snake is longer and sturdier than a crude one made out of a wire hanger. Often, this simple tool takes care of the problem.
6. Hydro-Jet
If the snake doesn’t work, a hydro-jet is another option. This machine blasts sharp bursts of water into the pipe in an effort to blast the blockage out of the way.
7. CCTV Camera
You can hire a plumber that offers CCTV services when you need to get a closer look at the clog. Sometimes, no matter what you (or your plumber) tries, the drain refuses to clear.
In this case, the plumber can insert a tiny camera into the drain to go looking for the clog. With this inside information (pun intended) your plumber will know what to do to clear your drain.
An Unblocked Drain
Never fear, there are plenty of ways to get blocked drains clear again. You don’t have to live with the consequences of a blocked drain for long!
