Put half a cup of baking soda into that drain and let it sit for a few minutes. Add 1 cup of vinegar for every 1 cup of hot water you pour down the drain. Cover the drain with a plug and let it sit for 10 minutes. Boil another kettle and pour it down the drain.
Pour one-half cup baking soda into the drain followed by one-half cup white vinegar; the fizzing and bubbling reaction helps to break up small clogs. Block the drain using a small rag so the chemical reaction doesn't all bubble up out. Wait 15 minutes.
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.
Pour one-half cup table salt down the drain, followed by boiling water. Or try a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar—let it bubble, wait 15 minutes, then pour boiling water down the drain. You can also try a cup of baking soda and a half-cup of salt; let it sit for several hours, then flush with boiling water.
Pour or squeeze ½ cup of Dawn® dish detergent down the drain. For a tougher clog, use 1 full cup. Let the detergent work its way down the drain for 30 minutes.
Baking Soda & Vinegar
Clear the area around your sink and put a 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow that with a 1/2 cup of vinegar. Now plug your drain and let it sit for an hour. Then, unplug the drain and pour a pot of boiling water down it.
First, make sure there is no water in the sink. Pour one cup of baking soda followed by one cup of table salt, and then pour a cup of white vinegar. Wait for ten minutes and then flush it with boiling water. After that, the drain should be clear!
Though not always the number one recommended long-term solution, baking soda and vinegar along with some hot water can prove to be a serviceable solution to clear your drains.
Baking Soda + Salt
Mix 1/2 cup table salt and 1/2 cup baking soda together, and pour down drain. Let sit for about 30 minutes (or overnight if it's a tough clog).
You can also pour vinegar down the drain on its own.
Pour about 1 cup of vinegar down your drain and let it sit for 30-40 minutes.
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.
If your snaking session yields plenty of hair and soap scum, but still leaves you with a slow drain, there's a good chance that the P-trap is still obstructed. To clear it, plug the overflow hole with a rag and fill the tub drain with hot water, which will help to soften and loosen soap scum.
Coke and Pepsi are loaded with phosphoric acid, which breaks down the buildup that can clog your drains!
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.
In modern houses some of the drain pipes are PVC plastic, and usually the boiling water will just flow through it without causing any damage. But if it goes through the pipe slowly the PVC could the deform.
Too much detergent may result in left behind soap residue, and too little can leave clothes and dishes stained and dirty. Tips on how to avoid clogging your drain: Use liquid detergent instead of powder or bar soap to reduce the risk of clogging.
Can you leave baking soda in the drain overnight? It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain.
Baking soda powder will turn into a cement like mass and completely clog everything it settles in. I had a family member dump about three cups down the kitchen sink this summer and I ended up having to replace the trap, tailpiece and dishwasher drain inflow.
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.