Is unclogging a drain with baking soda and vinegar better than using Drano? Using baking soda and vinegar to unclog a drain is an effective and natural cleaning method, which some people prefer over harsher chemicals. It works great for weaker drain clogs.
Baking soda and vinegar may unclog your drain better than Drano ever could. Start by getting rid of the standing water in your drain. If it will go down slowly, just wait until it's gone. If it isn't moving, use a cup or a spoon to get it out of there.
Along with gravity, this pressure helps remove unwanted goop out of the pipes and unclogs drains. Baking soda, vinegar and boiling water can help clean drains naturally, but you may need something stronger, like Liquid-Plumr, to fully unclog those really tough drain clogs.
Let hot water run for a minute to warm up the pipes. Drop in 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Pour in 1 cup of vinegar, cover the drain with a plug and let sit for 10 minutes – you will hear fizzing. Rinse with more hot water.
A common cause for clogs, especially in kitchen drains, is a buildup of grease. Soap and hot water can be an effective Drano alternative to dissolve grease blockages. Pour roughly ½ to 1 cup of dish soap down the blocked drain. Following this, pour about a gallon of boiling water, taking care not to burn yourself.
Drano is not only ineffective, but it's also extremely damaging to your plumbing system. The heat created by the chemical reaction is more than your drains are designed to take. Corroded, aging plumbing can easily breakdown. Pipes can split and the glue holding them together can disintegrate.
Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a strong acid that is commonly used to dissolve clogs in drains. This acid works by breaking down organic materials such as hair, grease, and soap scum that can accumulate in pipes and cause blockages.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
If the baking soda and vinegar method doesn't unclog the drain, use the salt and baking soda method next. This works best if you do it right before bedtime since the drain won't be used until morning.
It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain. Always flush this mixture down with boiling water—no matter how long you leave it sitting in the drain.
Using a snake is also more invasive and time-consuming than using a chemical cleaner is, and can often become a dirty job. When it comes to getting at and removing major clogs or clogs that are deep down in your pipes, however, a plumber's snake is your best bet.
If your drain is clogged with hair, baking soda can dissolve hair in a drain. To try this safe and easy method at home - first, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar (white vinegar) down. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes.
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.
Yes, the heat these chemicals produce will break down the remnants of a clog, but likely only push them farther down your system to form a more dense clog in a harder-to-reach section of your plumbing. This leads to repeat clog offenses, repeat pouring, and the eventual ruin of your plumbing system.
Safety warning: Do not pour any vinegar or baking soda into your drain either before or after using drain-cleaning chemicals, such as Drano.
Plunge it Out
When Drano won't go down the drain, grab a plunger instead. Many people think that these are only good for toilets. However, they can create suction that can dislodge your clog. If you're using a plunger, choose one that is suited for the type of clog you're dealing with.
What if The Baking Soda & Vinegar Hack Doesn't Work? If your drain doesn't unclog right away, repeat the baking soda & vinegar process another time or two. If you have a stubborn clog, sometimes the baking soda & vinegar trick just doesn't work. You may have to use a sink plunger to help push through the blockage.
You may be surprised to learn that pouring soda down the drain does work for some clogs. To be specific, you need a dark-colored cola (such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi). This type of carbonated beverage usually contains a good amount of phosphoric acid, which given enough time, can eat away at some types of clogs.
Baking soda, vinegar and Dawn dish soap along with boiling water can safely unclog a drain.
Sprinkle about one cup of baking soda down the clogged drain and wait for 10 minutes. Pour one cup of hydrogen peroxide down the drain and wait for the foaming to stop. Avoid using the drain for a few hours, if possible. Pour hot water down the drain to flush the baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and debris away.
Clean the P-Trap
If a kitchen or bathroom sink drain still smells after removing trapped hair and using the baking soda and vinegar, there may be something caught in the p-trap that's causing the odor.
In some cases, baking soda and vinegar can even cause damage to your pipes. Instead it's best to use other methods such as a plunger or drain snake, or removing your trap to empty out the probable blockage. You can also consider using a commercial drain cleaner that is specifically designed for tough clogs.
Final Verdict. Our best overall pick for drain cleaners is Drano Max Gel Clog Remover, which also comes recommended by experts. We love that this formula works on every type of drain pipe and can clear just about any clog.
For badly clogged drains, you can leave Liquid-Plumr in the drain overnight to work, then flush thoroughly with hot water in the morning. Like Drano, this product is unscented and mild. Even self-reported sensitive users say there aren't any bothersome fumes to contend with when using Liquid-Plumr.
Baking Soda & Vinegar – A well-known method recommended by moms everywhere, a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and vinegar poured down your drain and then left to sit for half an hour will help break down any soap scum or clogs that are in your pipes.