Clogged drains are a pain, and can be caused by a number of things, including food debris getting stuck and flushing the wrong things down the toilet.
Signs of a blocked sink are pretty obvious and include lingering water in the sink or foul smells emerging, as well as drain flies appearing.
Although there are many drain cleaners on the market, many of them involve using strong chemicals.
According to plumbing experts at Eyman Plumbing Heating and Air, baking soda is the “best household cleaning agent when it comes to unclogging drains”.
Baking soda’s slightly acidic nature is enough to dislodge buildup without corroding the pipes when used to unblock pipes.
The experts said using chemical agents is not as kind to drains as “they dislodge clogs but contain compounds that wear down and weaken” pipes.
Households are recommended to use a “homemade drain cleaner” which can be quickly made using baking soda with lemon or vinegar.
The plumbing experts said that combining lemon with baking soda is “ideal for clogged kitchen drains”.
Not only can this remedy dissolve blockages fast, but it can also flood the kitchen with a lovely lemon scent. To make this cleaner, simply mix half a cup of baking soda with half a cup of lemon juice and boiling water.
Try to use fresh lemon if possible as bottled lemon may contain added sugar and preservatives which will not help the blockages.
When paired with white vinegar, baking soda can “dissolve hard deposits, kill harmful bacteria, and cut through grime” so well.
To create a baking soda and vinegar homemade drain cleaner, use half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of white vinegar, along with boiling water.
Pour the cleaner down the clogged drain and let the mixture sit for one hour to work.
If you have a large clog, leave it for slightly longer to allow it to break down the blockage.
When adding the vinegar mixture, you may notice bubbling in the sink and fizzing in the pipes, but this is normal.
The experts noted: “The two chemicals react to create a carbon dioxide that fizzes and sizzles. The reaction confirms that your concoction is working.”
After an hour, pour hot, not boiling, water down the drain to flush it through.
Although white vinegar may leave behind a smell, the hot water will soon remove the smell.
