Clogged Drains If a clog does occur, use a plunger or plumber's snake to loosen the blockage. Then, pour 1/2 cup of borax followed by 2 cups of boiling water.
Borax beats a clog
Although it's mildly toxic, borax is a more eco-friendly solution to a blocked drain than the chemical alternatives. It can help break down debris caught in your pipes, but you should take care and wear protective gear to avoid inhaling it or getting it on your skin.
#1: Use baking soda and vinegar
Let it sit for an hour or more (or overnight if you suspect the blockage is really bad) and then flush with hot water. In theory, the blockage should be gone but repeat the process if you experience further problems.
One great use for borax, which comes with minimal exposure, is pouring it down drains to eliminate any debris causing water to back up. Indeed, it's an effective DIY Drano alternative, but not by itself.
The Santeen Sulfuric Acid Drain Opener proved to be the most potent among all the chemical drain cleaners we tested, effectively dissolving 80% of the hair, 80% of the organic matter, 40% of the grease and 76% of the paper products.
The fizzing reaction and gas created may help loosen some small blockages. However, it is not typically strong enough to break down larger clogs or remove hard-to-reach debris. As a result of the above facts, if you have a serious drain clog, using baking soda and vinegar is unlikely to be effective.
Carpets, furniture, and mattresses can all benefit from a sprinkle of borax to remove odors. “Lightly rub in a circular motion, let it sit, and vacuum away the excess powder,” Crandall and Rosser explain.
To make a drain snake, all you need is a wire coat hanger that you can unwind and straighten. Bend the end of the wire into a hook shape and insert it into the drain. Move it around until you feel resistance and then pull out any hair or debris that may be blocking the drain.
Heat 2 or 4 liters of water on your stove or in a kettle to just short of boiling. Add about 1/2 cup of salt. Try pouring this down the drain, then wait 15 minutes before seeing if it will clear more easily. If you need a stronger cleaning, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar.
Properties and Uses: Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a highly corrosive acid used extensively by plumbers to clear severe clogs. It reacts rapidly with organic materials in drains, breaking them down into simpler compounds that can be easily flushed away.
Coke and Pepsi are loaded with phosphoric acid, which breaks down the buildup that can clog your drains. Phosphoric acid can even remove lime scale and other tough buildup that regular cleaners struggle with. This is an effective and refreshing home remedy if we ever saw one.
Add a half cup of vinegar and put something over the drain. Wait half an hour and then pour boiling water into the drain. Dish detergent: For a clogged toilet, pour a quarter cup of dish detergent into the bowl and then pour hot water over it. Use a plunger.
It is generally accepted that boric acid has little effect on concrete, but concrete shows a large performance loss at 70 °C and 180,000 ppm.
All you have to do is pour 1 cup or baking soda down your drain and then follow it with 1 cup of vinegar. After your mixture is in the drain, seal the top of the drain and wait for about an hour so your concoction can start breaking down any clogs.
If a snake is not handy, another suggestion is to use a plunger, baking soda, water, and vinegar solution to unclog the drain. The baking soda, water, and vinegar solution is one of the best natural ways to unclog a drain.
The Foolproof Method for Getting Dirty Outdoor Cushions Totally Clean. Outdoor furniture cleaning solution: to 1 gallon of hot water, add: 1 cup Borax, ½ cup hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup liquid dish soap (whatever you have on hand, but I like Dawn).
Mixing borax with popular cleaning products — like vinegar and bleach — to create those popular DIY cleaning recipes is not recommended. “Combining bleach and vinegar produces a toxic chlorine gas,” she explains.
Remove Water Spots. Remove water spots from surfaces by combining borax and warm water until a paste forms. "Apply the paste to the water spot area, allow to sit for up to 20 minutes. Rinse and dry with a soft cloth," says Cohoon.
Sulfuric Acid Products
Sulfuric-acid-based drain cleaning chemicals work best for clearing organic clogs like grease and food waste. However, the chemicals only burn holes through clogs instead of clearing them completely from the sidewalls.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.
Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Place a rubber stopper or other sink hole cover over the drain opening. Wait 15 minutes to allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain, Then take out the drain cover and run hot tap water down the drain to clear the clog.