How to solve clogged drainage?

Author: Miss Shakira Effertz  |  Last update: Sunday, October 26, 2025

Pour 1/2 a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 a cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain and let the cleaning solution sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour hot water down the drain (or boiling water if your water doesn't get very hot). Reinstall the strainer or stopper.

How do you unclog a severely clogged drain?

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.

How do you unclog a drainage system?

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.

How to clear a clogged main drain?

Boiling Water, Baking Soda, and Vinegar: Sometimes, a combination of boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar can help dissolve and dislodge minor blockages. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by half a cup of vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes, then flush it with boiling water.

How do you unclog an underground drain?

Use a drain snake

The process of unblocking drains with rods is variously called snaking, cable rodding, augering or rooting. It involves pushing a specialist, heavy-duty metal cable through the pipe to break up the blockage, thus allowing water to flow through.

DON'T LIVE with SLOW DRAINS - Make Your Shower Drain like New In 2 Minutes

What is the best drain clog remover?

Drano Max Gel Liquid Clog Remover

The 100-year-old company Drano is the Q-tip of drain cleaners — the brand most people think of first for tackling clogs. In our tests, we've been consistently impressed by the clearing power of Drano's gel formulation, which is safe for all plumbing and septic systems.

How do you open a clogged drain naturally?

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.

How do plumbers clear blocked drains?

In many cases, professional drain cleaning tools like a toilet auger or hydro jetting equipment will be enough to deal with a deep clogged pipe. However, if there is damage present, you may need additional repairs or pipe replacement services.

What is the best drain unblocker for outside drains?

After your drain is mostly free of water, simply pour around half a cup of soda crystals or caustic soda into the drain followed by boiling water. Be very careful when using caustic soda because it can be extremely dangerous.

Why should you never use baking soda and vinegar to unclog a drain?

Baking soda is abrasive, which, when used in large quantities, will cause the drain more damage. Additionally, the acidic nature of vinegar can eat away rubber and metal, damaging the plumbing. As these products break down the pipe and connectors in the plumbing in your home, it will cause more clogs over time.

What is the best stuff to unblock drain?

Top 10 Ways To Unblock Your Household Drain
  • #1: Use baking soda and vinegar. ...
  • #2: Try baking soda and salt. ...
  • #3: Unblock your drain with boiling water. ...
  • #4: Unclog your drain with a snake. ...
  • #7: Try soda crystals or washing powder. ...
  • #9: Use a Zip-It.

What do professionals use to unblock drains?

Drain snakes also called drain rooters or augers, use a long cable with a spiral-shaped head.

What do you do if your drain won't unclog?

Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Place a rubber stopper or other sink hole cover over the drain opening. Wait 15 minutes to allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain, Then take out the drain cover and run hot tap water down the drain to clear the clog.

How to tell if an outside drain is blocked?

This blog will point out the key signs to look out for before discussing the steps to take when you think your drainage system is clogged.
  1. Slow Drainage. ...
  2. Unpleasant Smells and Odours. ...
  3. Gurgling Sounds Coming from Drains and Plug Holes. ...
  4. Raised Water Levels.

What is the best homemade drain cleaner?

Baking Soda + Vinegar
  • Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar down drain.
  • Plug drain and let sit for one hour.
  • Then, pour a pot of boiling water down drain. Repeat if necessary.

How do I unclog a deep clog?

How To Unblock A Clogged Drain Deep In Pipe
  1. Using a Toilet Plunger or Plunger.
  2. Applying Baking Soda and Vinegar.
  3. Employing a Drain Snake or Plumbing Auger.
  4. Hydro Jetting Techniques.

Is drano bad for pipes?

The Short Answer Is: Drano and similar chemical drain cleaners can be harmful to home drain pipes as they contain corrosive chemicals that may deteriorate pipes over time, especially if used frequently.

What liquid do plumbers use to unclog drains?

Hydrochloric Acid (Muriatic Acid)

Properties and Uses: Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a highly corrosive acid used extensively by plumbers to clear severe clogs. It reacts rapidly with organic materials in drains, breaking them down into simpler compounds that can be easily flushed away.

What happens if you put too much baking soda down the drain?

If you put too much baking soda down a drain onto a clog, it can sit on the clog and become a solid mass as it is subjected to more and more water. This will make the block worse and even harder to remove.

What will dissolve hair in a drain?

Heat 2 or 4 liters of water on your stove or in a kettle to just short of boiling. Add about 1/2 cup of salt. Try pouring this down the drain, then wait 15 minutes before seeing if it will clear more easily. If you need a stronger cleaning, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar.

What is the fastest way to clear a clogged drain?

A lot of folks know the baking soda and vinegar trick. Simply pour some hot water down your clogged drain and follow it up with equal parts baking soda and vinegar (baking soda first), cover the drain with a plug if you have one, let it sit for 20-30 minutes, then follow it up with more hot water to clear the clog.

What is safe to pour down the drain to unclog it?

Add a half cup of vinegar and put something over the drain. Wait half an hour and then pour boiling water into the drain. Dish detergent: For a clogged toilet, pour a quarter cup of dish detergent into the bowl and then pour hot water over it. Use a plunger.

What works better than Drano?

Some of the best Drano alternatives include using a plunger or pipe snake, soap or salt mixed with boiling water, or baking soda and white vinegar. Also, for maximum effectiveness, you can combine several of these methods together to get rid of the clog.

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