First, you can run hot water down the drain for 5 to 10 minutes to see if that helps break up the clog. If it doesn't, pour equal parts of vinegar and baking soda into a bowl and then pour that mixture down the drain. Let it sit for 15 minutes, and then run hot water down the drain.
If your main sewer line is blocked, you'll start noticing that water will backup in random places. For example, when you flush the toilet, water will suddenly appear in your bathtub or shower. Alternatively, if you run your washing machine, your sink might start to overflow.
A plunger works to unclog the main sewer line because it creates an airtight seal with the drain. In the process, it helps force the stubborn clog out of the plumbing system drains.
Mix 1/3rd of a cup of bicarbonate of soda with 1/3rd of a cup of vinegar in a measuring cup. It will fizz immediately, and you should waste no time pouring it down the clogged drain. The fizzing action will help to remove the gunk, hair, and grime that has built up in the blocked drain pipe.
Mix 1/3 of a cup of vinegar with 1/3 of a cup of baking soda and pour the fizzy mixture into the clogged sewer drain immediately. If you don't know how to unclog main sewer line, take advantage of vinegar to eliminate the grime, grease, and hair in the pipe. Flush the pipe with hot water after one hour.
When you start to notice a drop in water pressure in your home, or if water ceases coming out of some taps entirely, you may have water supply line clogs. Unclogging them requires professional plumbers: there's no plunger you can use to affect an incoming water line!
With a clogged basement drain, pouring Drano or similar products down your sewer drain can actually damage your pipes or the glue holding them together, causing more sewer system problems in the future.
You will likely pay around $350 to $650 to have a plumber unclog a main sewer line unless you have complications like serious damage to the line.
Snake the Line
For deeper clogs, you may need to get a snake or auger to reach the buildup. You can use a snake to clear out drains, but you can also use it on the main sewer line. Locate the sewer cleanout pipe, which might be near a septic tank or near the main sewer line.
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.
Clearing a clogged sewer line can take an hour to a few hours, depending on the blockage. If your lines are severely blocked, a video inspection and more advanced techniques may be necessary to find and address the clog.
A plunger can be effective for dislodging clogs near the drain opening. For deeper clogs, a drain snake or auger can reach and break up blockages inside the pipe. Hydro jetting kits, which use high-pressure water to clear pipes, are also available for more persistent clogs.
Flush cold water.
Run all cold-water faucets on the property beginning with the faucet closest to the water line. Let all run at the highest flow (or fully open) until water is clear and temperature is constant. Then turn off all faucets in reverse order.
If no water comes out the opening with all of the fill valve parts removed, then there is a clog in the line to the fill valve. The next step is to shut off the water and remove the supply line from the bottom of the toilet, then redirect the supply line into your small bowl and turn the valve back on.
Mix half a cup of baking soda with half a cup of table salt and pour it into your blocked drain. Leave it to work for twenty minutes or so and then pour boiling water into the plughole.
FOR A SLOW MOVING MAINLINE: Pour the entire contents of the container into the main line that leads from the house to the sewer or septic system. Use one gallon of Mainline Cleaner for every twenty feet (20') of main line. Use no water for at least three hours or overnight, then flush with warm or hot water.
If you want more earth-friendly home remedies for a clogged sewer line, combine one part baking soda with one part lemon juice or vinegar. Pour the mixture down the drain and let it sit for at least an hour before running hot tap water down the sewer line.
If you notice water gushing back out from the drain pipe or leaking out from the seams on the adapter, that is a sign that there are clogs in your underground drain.
Natural Solvents. Using equal parts baking soda and vinegar, mix ⅓ cup of each together and pour down your drain. The chemical reaction may help loosen any blockages. Using hot water can help liquefy solidified grease and fats.