There’s nothing worse than a clogged drain. Accumulated food, grease, or hair can make sinks plug and get nasty fast. Sometimes, it gets to the point where you start to think about calling a plumber, which means an expensive, time-consuming fix. So, what are some ways you can tackle the problem on your own without calling in a professional?
1. If your garbage disposal is getting nasty and clogged from food and oil, try this simple solution.
Pour in half a cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar. You might want to keep your distance — when these two ingredients combine, they’re likely to make a bit of an eruption. But those bubbles will also break up any clogs that are blocking your drain. Let the mixture sit and bubble for about five minutes, then wash it away.
2. Another way to clear a garbage disposal is to add a handful of ice cubes and a good amount of salt.
Turn your disposal on for a few seconds, grinding up all the ice cubes. Then, pour some steaming hot water down the drain. This is another great method of getting your garbage disposal clean and clear without calling in the professionals.
3. If your bathroom sink is lagging and draining is taking an eternity, you can turn to a home remedy.
Scoop out any stuck water with a cup, using a dry rag to soak up the last few drops. Then hit it with the same baking soda and vinegar solution listed above. Before adding the vinegar, make sure to use a finger to coax some of the baking soda down into the drain. This time, when you let it sit, cover it with a dry rag for five minutes. Then, pour in some boiling water. Not only with your drain be clear, but your sink will also be pristine and gleaming.
4. Bathtubs easily get grimy and covered in buildup.
Thankfully, there are easy at-home remedies to tackle this, too. Just grab a little nail polish remover (also known as acetone) and a regular kitchen sponge, preferably one with an abrasive side. Let the acetone soak into the sponge and scrub away. Nail polish remover is great at dissolving things — that’s its whole job, after all. You might need to follow up with a paper towel, which should easily wipe up any dirt or scum left behind.
5. Even worse than a grimy tub is a clogged tub.
Let’s be honest — there are all sorts of things that go down a tub drain, and most of them are not very pleasant. You definitely don’t want those things backing up into your tub. So, what’s the best way to tackle a nasty clogged tub drain?
You don’t need to look far: Everything you need is actually right there in your bathroom. Just reach for your regular hair conditioner. Put a few squirts of it right around your tub drain and run some water over it to let it run down your drain. If you need to, you can use your fingers to help work the conditioner down the drain. The conditioner will help move the clog along the tub drain.
For more stubborn tub clogs, try the old baking soda and vinegar trick. You might need to use a little more of the products, but they’ll work just as well on large drains as on small ones.
6. The worst thing that can get stuck in your tub drain is hair.
This makes for a nasty problem that can back water up into your tub. There’s no need to call a professional in just to pull out a mess of hair. All you need is a metal coat hanger and a pair of pliers. Using the pliers, take the hanger apart and fashion the end into a small hook — small enough to be able to reach down your drain. Unscrew the center part of your drain and put it aside.
Then, wiggle your hanger hook down into the drain. Run a little water beforehand to make sure all the caught hair is wet. It will stick together and be pulled up more easily. You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to pull up a clog in just a few minutes. When your drain is free, replace the center drain cap and dispose of everything else.
Of course, sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones. If you’ve got a clog that really won’t move, try plain old coarse salt and boiling water. This classic combination might just be the best one to get your drains clean and clear.
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