Keeping your drains clear is important to maintaining a healthy plumbing system. Clogged pipes can lead to sewage backups, bad odors, and even more costly repairs.
Regular drain cleaning can prevent clogged pipes by removing hair, grease, and other debris that can build up inside your drains. But how do you know when your drains need to be cleaned? Click the Drain Cleaning Aurora, CO to learn more.
For those who want a natural and inexpensive way to keep their drains clean, baking soda and vinegar is a simple solution. This combination reacts to create bubbles that can dislodge and break up blockages. This mixture is also a safer alternative to chemical drain cleaners, which can harm pipes and the environment.
Baking soda and vinegar are household staples that many people use for cooking, cleaning, and other household purposes. The combination of these two items can help eliminate odors, remove grease, and clear minor blockages. It is important to note that this is not a treatment for serious clogs and should only be used as a preventative measure.
When the baking soda and vinegar are mixed, it results in a bubbling action that can break down and dislodge food waste, hair, and other debris. This reaction also releases carbon dioxide gas, which can help freshen and deodorize the drain. It is also a good idea to use this cleaning solution on a regular basis, as it can help keep the drains clean and free of odors.
To use this home remedy, pour a cup of white vinegar into the drain and immediately follow it with a cup of boiling water. The hot water will help flush the baking soda and vinegar from the pipe and prevent any future build-up. After the mixture has cooled down, flush the drain with another pot of boiling water to rinse it completely. This method can be repeated if the clog is still not fully removed.
The acidic nature of vinegar can cause damage to your pipes, so it is recommended that you always use this drain cleaning method in conjunction with other methods, such as a plunger or a snake. In addition, this method can damage rubber drain lines, so it is important to only use it in metal or plastic drains.
For those who are unsure about how to use this drain cleaning method, you can consult a plumber for advice. A professional can recommend the best solution to fix your clogged or smelly drain and help you prevent future problems.
Boiling Water
When a drain is blocked with grease, soap scum or other materials that form clogs in pipes, sometimes all you need to clear it is boiling water. This simple life hack is easy to implement, as all you need to do is boil a pot of water on your stove and pour it down the blocked drain.
While this method is often successful in clearing minor clogs, it won’t be effective on severe clogs. While the high temperatures of boiling water can melt some grease-based clogs, they will likely reharden once the heat dissipates. For these serious clogs, you’ll need to use a physical drain cleaning tool or chemical drain cleaner to fully unblock the pipe.
Pouring hot boiling water down a drain is not only risky for your health, it can also damage your plumbing. There is a good chance that you have PVC pipes in your home; these are able to withstand short periods of high temperature, but prolonged exposure to boiling water can soften and melt them, eventually leading to leaks and other problems.
If you are worried about the safety of using this method, you can always use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to help loosen any materials in your drain. This is a much safer alternative to chemical drain cleaners, which can corrode your pipes and cause more costly repairs in the long run. Simply place a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of white vinegar. The mixture will foam and fizz, helping to break up any clogs and shift them from the pipes.
If you are unable to clear your clogged drain with this method, it is best to call in a professional plumber to avoid further damages to your home’s plumbing system. If you have a severe clog, you may need to remove and replace the damaged pipe in order to prevent further blockages and leaking from the pipe joint. For further tips on how to care for your plumbing system, contact the experts at Quality Plumbing of Gainesville, Inc.
Dish Soap
Besides being great for cleaning dishes, the right dish soap can also unclog drains and clean sink and tub pipes. It’s also a lot cheaper than buying a commercial chemical drain cleaner.
Before using this method make sure the clogged drain is dry at the surface. If there is standing water, it can cause additional damage to the pipes. It’s best to use this technique on kitchen and bathroom drains that run to the main house sewer line. It’s not very effective for bathtub drains, which usually require an acid based product to break up hair and grime.
Pour a few full squirts of liquid dish soap down the drain and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes. After the time has passed, flush the drain with hot water. This should help to break down the grease and grime that is causing the clog.
Repeat as needed to keep your drains clog free. You can also try adding a few tablespoons of baking soda to the solution for added benefits. It will prevent odors, clean the pipe walls and help to deodorize the drain as well.
There are a variety of different brands and types of liquid dish soap available on the market, so find the one that works best for you and your family. There are natural and organic options, as well as fragrance free varieties. In addition, many dish soaps are available in refillable bottles. Some companies even offer subscriptions to make it easy for you to keep your drains clean.
In our recent dish soap test, we found that ECOS Dishmate Dish Liquid disappointed in both smell (the carrottop scent was overwhelming) and performance (the biodegradable/hypoallergenic/dye-, paraben-, phosphate- and phthalate-free formula didn’t do a very good job of loosening stuck on grease). Thrive Market Dish Soap fared better with its light lavender scent, but the pump-style dispenser is gloppy and leaking.
While bleach and peroxide might be able to clear out some small drain blockages, they can also do a lot of damage to your pipes. If you have a major clog, it’s a good idea to call a professional plumber for help.
Chemical Cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners rely on a chemical reaction to break down and dissolve clogs. Caustic chemical cleaners, such as sodium hydroxide (lye), work by attracting and dissolving organic material such as hair, grease, food scraps, and soap scum. These types of cleaners are also heavier than water, so they sink through standing water to reach the clog. They are effective for removing stubborn grease clogs but can be damaging to pipes.
Oxidizing chemical cleaners, such as household bleach, peroxide, or nitrates, use the same method to remove organic material but are safer for pipes. These products rob electrons from the clog to make it more brittle and easier to break down, much like rust remover works on metal. They can also release heat, which helps melt and disperse grease.
Acidic chemical cleaners, which contain hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, are more effective at removing mineral deposits from pipes than oxidizing agents. However, they are toxic to the human body and can cause chemical burns to skin and eyes if splashed. They can also create noxious fumes and are dangerous to inhale.
These cleaners are also harmful to the environment. They disrupt the natural breakdown process of organic waste by killing beneficial bacteria in septic systems and waterways. They are also corrosive to pipes and can destroy the rubber gaskets in sewer lines.
If you must use a chemical drain cleaner, follow the instructions carefully and pour it in a well-ventilated area. Never mix it with other cleaners or hot water, and always flush the drain thoroughly afterward. It’s best to call a professional plumber for a thorough drain cleaning and inspection, especially if you suspect a blocked or slow-draining pipe.
A licensed plumber can conduct a detailed plumbing inspection to find the source of the problem and recommend the most effective, safest, and least-invasive methods of drain cleaning. Regular preventative maintenance services can also help to avoid costly blockages in the future. If you are experiencing a backed-up drain, call Applewood to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced plumbers today! We provide quick, reliable, and affordable drain cleaning services throughout the Portland metro.
