Household cleaning is a necessary evil that everyone has to undertake and of all the tasks, unclogging a smelly drain is a particularly unpleasant one.
Drains usually start to smell due to a blockage in the pipe which can be a result of a build-up of organic material, such as food scraps, hair, soap scum and grease, all of which create a foul smelling odour. There’s various different methods you can use to get rid of the smell but if you don’t want to fork out on an expensive drain cleaner (which often contains harsh chemicals), there are items that you likely already have at home that can do the job.
According to drain experts, a cheap and effective home remedy can clear blockages in just 10 minutes and all you need is some baking soda and white vinegar. These two natural ingredients create a chemical reaction when combined resulting in a fizzing and foaming action that can help dislodge minor clogs and soap scum from your drain.
Experts at Dankia Plumbing explain: “When baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) meets vinegar (acetic acid), they create a powerful reaction that produces carbon dioxide bubbles. Those bubbles? They’re like tiny scrub brushes working inside your pipes to clean away buildup and debris.
“But it’s not just the fizzing action that makes this cleaning method so effective. The alkaline baking soda breaks down organic materials like grease and hair, while the acidic vinegar dissolves mineral deposits and soap scum that accumulate over time.
“When you pour these two cleaning agents together, they tackle different types of buildup simultaneously, making this one of the most comprehensive natural cleaning solutions available.”
This method is an eco-friendly cleaning option that means you don’t have to rely on harmful chemicals to get the job done, and it’s cheap too so it can save you some pennies.
When using this method, it’s important to get the quantities of each ingredient right. Experts recommend using 240ml of boiling water, 240ml of white vinegar and 120g of baking soda.
When combined, the solution should foam up inside your drainage pipes and clear the blockage in around 10 minutes (you can leave it longer for larger blockages). To finish, simply run some hot water down the drain for up to one minute to flush the pipe.
Experts at Any Drains said: “Begin by boiling a pot of water. Once it reaches a rolling boil, carefully pour boiling water directly down the drain. This initial step helps soften the clog, but be careful when handling very hot water and allow it to drain slowly.
“Next, pour baking soda (120 g) down the drain. Follow this with a 250 ml of water and 250 ml of vinegar mixture. The combination will cause a fizzing action, indicating that the cleaning process has started.
“Quickly cover the drain with the plug or a rag to keep the reaction below the surface, where it can do its work. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the bubbling action of the baking soda and vinegar to break up the clog. Finish by pouring another pot of boiling hot water down the drain to flush away the loosened debris.”
