Kitchen and bathroom drains are easy to clog and difficult to unclog. Having a clogged drain makes life stressful but the drain cleaning process can be even worse. Many people will immediately run off and find an expert to do the work for them. There are, however, steps that can be taken to remove a clog easily before paying someone to do it.
First, try to remove the clog by hand. You might have to use a plunger to do this, but try to remove any debris that you can see or feel in the drain. Reach your fingers down to gently pull out food or hair. If no clog can be seen, simply use a plunger on top of the drain to push the clog down and out of the way. After using a plunger, pour boiling water down the drain to make sure nothing is left behind.
Clog still there? Don’t fret yet, there are several at home solutions that may clear it out. Start with baking soda and vinegar. This is a very simple process, with the added bonus of being chemical free. Pour a cup of baking soda into the drain followed immediately by half a cup of vinegar. Seal the drain closed after the vinegar is added. Wait a few minutes then add more vinegar. To finish the process, pour boiling water into the drain.
If the drain is still clogged, it may be time to consider a more aggressive approach. Though bleach is more toxic than the baking soda and vinegar method, pouring bleach down a clogged drain and letting it sit overnight will usually work. If you’re not comfortable with this method, try purchasing snaking equipment at the store and attempt to snake it yourself.
After you’ve exhausted all other options, it’s probably time to throw your hands up and call in a professional drain cleaning service. For emergency services and a free estimate. However, just because the clog is gone doesn’t mean that you can just forget about it. The very best way to deal with drain clogs is to prevent them all together. Try to keep clogs from forming by regularly pulling hair and food out and keeping them clear. This will prevent the need for emergency services in the future.
