Best-ever home remedies for a clogged drain

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Clear a clogged drain like a pro with this three-ingredient drain opener. It’s natural, safe, and won’t damage your pipes. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1 cup of hot vinegar. Let the two bubble and break apart the debris. After a few minutes, flush the drain with 1 quart of hot water.

Here are some other natural remedies for a nasty clogged drain.

  • Sweep sink drains clean by dropping three Alka-Seltzer tablets down them followed by 1 cup of white vinegar, then flush with hot water.
  • To remove grease buildup in drains, dump 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then a kettle of boiling water. Allow it to sit overnight before rinsing.

 

Don't you love finding new ways to use stuff you already have? Check out these tips before you throw anything else away!

 

Maintain free-flowing pipes with this weekly treatment.

  • Combine 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup salt, and 1 tablespoon cream of tartar, and stir thoroughly. Pour the mixture down the drain, then immediately follow with 1 cup of boiling water. Wait a few seconds, then rinse with cold water.

or

  • If your drain is slow, but not yet clogged, combine a cup of baking soda, a cup of salt, and three-quarters cup of white vinegar, and pour the mixture into your congested drain. Let it soak in for about 20 minutes, and rinse with a gallon of boiling water.

If these treatments fail, you can often clear a clogged drain by doing one of the following:

  • Stuff a soaked rag in the overflow holes near the top of the sink or in the second drain of a double sink. Coat the rim of the plunger with petroleum jelly for a better seal. Fill up the sink halfway with water, press the plunger over the drain, and rapidly pump up and down. This creates extra air pressure to push against the clog.
  • Thread a flexible metal snake or plumber’s auger down the drain and try to clear the clog. If you don’t own a snake or auger, you can rent one, but the rental cost will be added to the cost of a plumber if you can’t budge the clog.

 

 

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  • FC&A Staff Writer