Here at Ace Hardware Home Services, we have dealt with countless clogged drains. We understand how frustrating this problem is to deal with, and we want to help you take care of it as quickly and effectively as possible. In this article, we’ll go over three solutions for your clogged drains that you can try before calling our team.
- Boiling Water. If you want to try an at-home solution before calling a plumber to deal with your clogged drains, it doesn’t get much simpler than this method. Using a kettle, stovetop, or microwave, bring a pot of water to a boil. Then, pour the hot water down the drain in two or three stages, giving it at least a few seconds to work in between each pour. The heat will help melt or loosen grime deposits that have built up on the pipe walls, hopefully clearing it enough to allow it to drain properly once more.
- Baking Soda & Vinegar. Another method of clearing clogged drains makes use of a chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda. Mix equal parts of vinegar and baking soda in a measuring cup. The mixture will immediately begin to foam, so pour it down the drain quickly, then let it sit for at least an hour and flush with hot water. The fizzing action will help loosen the grime buildup that’s blocking your drain.
- Zipper or Bent Hanger. In plumbing, a zipper refers to a long strip of plastic with notches on either side. When inserted into clogged drain, on the way out the notches will catch any hair that’s blocking the pipe and pull it up. Our team at Ace Hardware Home Services regularly uses these simple tools, and you can pick them up at any hardware store for just a few dollars. Alternatively, you can make a hook out of a bent wire hanger to get a similar effect.
For more severe clogged drains, chances are that these simple solutions won’t be enough to do the job. If you’ve tried these methods and had no results, give our team at Ace Hardware Home Services a call to get the professional help you need.