Vinegar and Baking Soda
Combine 1/3 cup vinegar and 1/3 cup baking soda. Pour the mixture into the blocked sewer drain. You can use vinegar to remove the hair, grease, and grime from the main sewer line if you are not sure how to do it. After one hour, flush the pipe with hot water.
High Water Pressure with Baking Soda and Vinegar
To do this, use a 2:1 ratio of vinegar to baking soda, and mix it into 60 gallons of water. As you pour the water down the drain, use a drain snake or plunger to dislodge debris that is blocking water flow.
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.
It may take 2 or 3 tries for the reaction to successfully remove all of the buildup clogging your drains. To prevent future drain buildups, pour equal parts baking soda and vinegar down the drain, let them sit for 10 minutes, then flush with hot water every few weeks or months.
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.
Our top pick, Drano Max Gel Clog Remover, is easy to find and use on common clogs, like hair, food, and grease. We also like the Rockwell Labs InVade Bio Drain Gel. This gel solution is extra-effective on drain flies and comes in a smaller container, making it good to keep around the kitchen.
If water starts coming out of the drain in a main floor tub or shower, or if the toilets start filling up when you use a drain or run the washing machine, most likely you have a main sewer line clog.
With time, baking soda and vinegar may work as a natural drain cleaner on weaker drain clogs, and the benefits of regular drain cleaning can help keep your drains free of clogs. But for tough drain clogs that need to be dissolved right away, you may want to use a stronger drain cleaner, like Liquid-Plumr.
Basic clogs are by far the most common cause of sewer lines backing up. They are typically the result of not being careful with what goes down your drains. Failing to clean up hair from the shower drain, pouring oil down the sink, and using “flushable” wipes are the most common paths to backups.
The most common cause of a main sewer line backup is a blockage. Food particles, hair, and other solid materials can build up inside drain pipes until the clog becomes big enough to obstruct the flow of wastewater. At this point, the water has no choice but to back up into your toilet or bathtub.
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.
Professional Plumbing Tools 101: Drain Augers
Also known as drain snakes, there are several different versions of drain augers that most plumbers will carry with them at all times. In essence, it's a basic tool, but an auger is best for tough drain clogs that just won't budge and for cleaning out drains, too.
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.
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.
What is the Difference Between a Main Drain and a Sewer Line? While both main drains and sewer lines transport wastewater away from your home, there are critical differences between the two systems. Main drains are located in the walls and floors of your home, while sewer line drains are located outside underground.
How Long Does it Take to Clean out a Main Sewer Line? That is totally dependent on what the clog is. Clogs caused by tree roots can take minutes to several hours depending on the amount and length of the infestation.
If you have a main sewer line clog, water will back up and start to overflow into different plumbing fixtures. This happens because water from one branch line tries to drain away, but the main sewer clog blocks it and forces it to back up into other smaller drains.
LET IT SIT IN THE DRAIN FOR ONE HOUR, DON'T USE THE DRAIN, THEN RUN HOT WATER DOWN THE DRAIN! Hot water is the key, let it run for about 5 minutes! It is safe for PVC pipes!
Hydrogen Peroxide Drain Cleaner
Add 3 cups of the chemical into 3/4 gallon of cold water, stir it with a wooden spoon that you don't mind discarding later, and pour it down the drain. After 20-30 minutes, flush it with boiling water. Additional applications may be necessary in some cases.
Unlike chemical drain cleaners, hydrogen peroxide won't destroy your pipes and drains. It is safe for regular use so you can do a hydrogen peroxide flush once every few weeks to keep your drains and pipes in good shape.
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.