Plumbers use a variety of tools to help unclog the toughest of drain clogs. They might try a plunger or drain snake to start, but they can also use a hydro jetter to blast away the clog with high-pressure water. A plumber might use a liquid drain cleaner to chemically break apart the clog as a last resort.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
If you plan to use vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain you should pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down your drain and 1/2 cup vinegar, plug the drain and then let that sit for one hour. After the hour is up, pour a pot of boiling water down the drain.
For more stubborn clogs, a combination of baking soda, vinegar, and hot water may do the trick. Because vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base, mixing the two will cause a chemical reaction that will create pressure and possibly dislodge the clog.
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.
Use ½-1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar, plus a bit of water if you want to dilute things a little bit more. Pour it down the drain and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Sometimes, this mixture can break up clogs that even Drano can't touch!
You need to make sure that you've securely tightened thumbscrew(the piece that secures the cable inside the drum or handle). If the thumbscrew is loose, the cable will not rotate at all when you twist the handle. The cable rotation is how the drain snake picks up debris, so if it can't do this, your auger won't work.
The most common chemicals used to unblock sinks are Drano, hydrochloric acid, or caustic soda. Chemical drain cleaners can be effective at removing even the toughest clogs. They come in different forms, such as powder, liquid, or gel, so be sure to buy one that best suits your situation.
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.
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.
Hot Water and Dish Soap
Pour or squeeze ½ cup of Dawn® dish detergent (or any detergent you have around the house) down the drain. Let the detergent work its way down the drain for 30 minutes. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Once boiled, pour the entire kettle down the clogged drain.
While snaking is generally considered safe for your pipes, it can damage your pipes if they are in bad shape. Homes that have older pipes are more susceptible to this happening as hairline cracks and corrosion occur over time. Surprisingly, snaking your main line can potentially make the clog worse.
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.
You should clean your sewer line at least every two years. Getting a sewer line inspection for older homes or those with more trees is a good idea. Basic sewer line clogs and debris can be tackled with a $5 drain snake. More stubborn clogs may require professional cleaning, which costs an average of $325.
A hand crank enables a flexible cable to descend into your toilet and break up an obstruction. While billed as devices that are easy to use by anyone and everyone, drain snakes can be hard to manage, and if used improperly, can damage pipes.
A drain snake is usually about 15 to 25 feet long. It should be inserted into the drain as far as possible in order to reach the clog, but be careful not to damage your pipes.
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.
Over time, the plumbing pipes get dirty and accumulate debris, slowly blocking the water flow. This buildup of slime in the drain is a notorious breeding ground for bacteria. As it grows, the biological matter creates black sludge in the drain.
Do you need a plumber to snake a drain? For more minor clogs, you can snake your own drain. However, for heavy-duty clogs or to reach a clog far into your home's plumbing system, you'll need a power auger. A trained plumber best uses this type of tool as untrained individuals can cause pipe damage.
Crank the Handle of the Drain Snake
When pushing the cable through the P-trap, the U-shaped pipe section under the sink, you may encounter some friction and resistance. If this happens, push on the cable while cranking the drain snake slowly. A couple of turns will help the cable maneuver through the bends in the pipe.
Damaged Pipes — If your home's drainage system is older and made of galvanized materials, there is a very real chance the steelhead of the plumbing snake can scratch the inside of the pipe. Over time, that scratch will rust and weaken the structure of the pipe, until it bursts from the pressure.
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.
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.
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.