5 Household Items That Can Help You Unblock Your Drains
In a typical Australian home, apart from water, there is a lot of stuff that goes down your drain whenever you use a fixture. For starters, there’s hair, soap scum, tissue paper, and cotton swabs, among others. You could probably add a dozen more to this list.
What this means is that all drains get clogged every time, eventually and inevitably. Though it would be good if you practice preventive measures to keep your drains functional all the time, knowing how to unblock drains would be ideal. You can’t be too sure. Besides, there’s no telling if all the fixtures in your house are free from debris or other stuff.
Nothing can replace the skills and technical know-how of a certified and experienced plumber when it comes to solving your drain problems. They can put an end to your dilemmas in a matter of minutes if not hours, and may even help diagnose other plumbing problems. You can find the best plumber Sydney wide through your trusted friends’ recommendations or by searching online for the one with the best reviews. It pays to do your own research.
However, having some basic knowledge on how to unblock drains would be valuable, especially at times when you’re confident you can solve your drain problem yourself. Besides, not only are these options light on the budget, but they are also eco-friendly. Also, you can even conduct these methods by yourself.
Boiling Water
There are several things that you can do with boiling water around the house, and one of which is unclogging a blocked drain. There’s no rule on how much water you need, but a large pot would do. Simply pour the hot water, and then wait until it works its way through as the heat gradually unblocks the drain. You can do this two to three times or more until you have successfully unblocked the drain.
Dish Detergent
If you’re planning on using boiling water to clear the clog in the toilet, you might want to add in some dishwashing detergent for more effective results. As a cleaning agent, the detergent will break down all the disgusting collection of grease, scum, and other cringe-worthy debris. Pour a quarter cup of dish detergent into the loo, followed by the boiling water. For a more favourable result, use a plunger to agitate the clog and to unblock drain.
Salt and Baking Soda Combo
After boiling water, you may include salt and baking soda to increase your chances of success. Simply combine 1/2 cup of each household product. Wait for 10 to 20 minutes before you pour in boiling water into the clogged drain. The combination of these three items will create a reaction which will help dissolve all nasty the gunk that’s causing the blockage.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
No, you’re not going to perform a science project with these kitchen products. Instead, you’ll unblock drains with this bubbly concoction. All you need is to mix 1/3 cup of vinegar with 1/3 cup of baking soda. You will want the fizzing reaction to take place inside the drain. For that matter, you will need to pour the solution as soon as you combine both items.
Wire Hanger
Removing a drain clog doesn’t mean you should have the precise tool for the task. You can improvise if necessary. That said, you can use a wire hanger to unblock the drains, especially large solid blockages like hair and toilet paper, among others. This method is ideal in showers, tubs, and even in toilets—where a lot of stuff could accidentally fall inside the bowl without you noticing.
Simply unwound the coiled end of the hanger and straighten the edges until you have something that closely resembles a drain snake. You may want to keep the bent end as it is because it will serve as a makeshift hook for removing unwanted drain matter.
