What to do if your bathroom sink is clogged and Drano didn t work?

Author: Soledad Witting  |  Last update: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

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!

What to do if Drano doesn't unclog the sink?

It may be possible to unclog your drain using a combination of baking soda and vinegar and could prove more effective than reaching for the Drano. Get rid of any standing water in your drain to start. If it seems to be draining slowly, you can wait till it's gone.

How do you unclog a severely clogged bathroom sink?

Try using vinegar & baking soda

Pour ~½ cup of baking soda into the drain. Pour enough vinegar on top of the baking soda that you can see it start bubbling up around the sides of the drain. Let this sit for a few minutes – if possible, leave it overnight to ensure maximum effect!

What happens if Drano doesn't go down after?

Old post- I know. But... When Drano is left in the drain for too long, it can cause corrosion of the pipes. The chemicals in the product are designed to break own the clog, but if left for too long, they can start to break down the pipes themselves.

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.

It cleans the drain better than a machine. The stench disappears

How do you unblock a badly blocked sink?

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Make sure you clear any standing water in the sink first, then pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow this with a cup of vinegar, and immediately put the rubber stopper in the drain. The mixture will fizz, and push the clog down. Follow with hot water from the tap to finish flushing.

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 long should I run water after Drano?

You can use Drano® Clog Removers to unclog a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower or clogged bathtub, but DO NOT use them in toilets. For clogged or slow-running drains, apply the product and let it work 15 minutes, then flush with hot water. For tough problems, allow 30 minutes before flushing.

Is baking soda and vinegar better than Drano?

Using baking soda and vinegar to unclog a drain is an effective and natural cleaning method, which some people prefer over harsher chemicals. It works great for weaker drain clogs. By using this mixture periodically, you may be able to avoid clogs altogether (and the need for a more powerful cleaner like Drano).

What if Drano is still slow after bathtub drain?

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!

What is the strongest thing to unclog a sink?

The Santeen Sulfuric Acid Drain Opener proved to be the most potent among all the chemical drain cleaners we tested, effectively dissolving 80% of the hair, 80% of the organic matter, 40% of the grease and 76% of the paper products.

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

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.

How to fix a bathroom sink that won't drain?

Unclog a Sink With Vinegar and Baking Soda
  1. Make sure your sink is completely drained.
  2. Pour 1/4 cup of baking soda into your drain. ...
  3. Pour 1 1/4 cup of white vinegar into the drain.
  4. Use a sink stopper to plug the drain. ...
  5. Let this mixture work in the drain for about 20 minutes.
  6. Pour hot water down the drain slowly.

How do you unclog a stubborn bathroom sink?

Baking Soda & Vinegar to Clear a Drain Clog

all you need to do is mix around 1/3 cup of baking soda with 1/3 cup of vinegar in a cup. You'll have to immediately pour this solution down the drain to be effective. Rinse with hot water after about an hour.

How do you unclog a sink when the water won't go down?

Vinegar And Baking Soda

Flush the drain with half a cup or 1 cup of baking soda, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Next, carefully pour 1 cup of boiling water down the drain. Repeat the process if necessary for stubborn blockages.

What to do if a drain unblocker doesn't work?

An age old trick for drain unblocking, a concoction of baking soda and vinegar can work wonders for your drains. Mix 1/3 of a cup of baking soda with 1/3 of vinegar. As it begins to fizz, pour it down the blocked drain as soon as possible. The fizzing action helps to remove any debris that has clogged within a pipe.

What to do if Drano doesn't work?

What to Do if Drano Isn't Working
  1. Look in Your Kitchen Pantry. Baking soda and vinegar may unclog your drain better than Drano ever could. ...
  2. Try a Plunger. Most people assume that plungers only work on toilets, but they can actually unclog drains all over your house. ...
  3. Consider a Plumbing Snake. ...
  4. Call a Plumber.

Does anything work 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.

How to clean bathroom pipe blockage?

When these two ingredients are combined, they create a chemical reaction that can break down and dissolve clogs.
  1. Step 1: Pour baking soda and vinegar into the toilet. ...
  2. Step 2: Leave the mixture for a few minutes. ...
  3. Step 3: Pour hot water. ...
  4. Step 4: Ensure the clog is removed. ...
  5. Step 5: Flush the toilet. ...
  6. Step 1: Prepare hot water.

Is it bad to leave Drano in drain too long?

When Drano is left in the drain for too long, it can cause corrosion of the pipes. The chemicals in the product are designed to break own the clog, but if left for too long, they can start to break down the pipes themselves.

What is a good substitute for Drano?

Baking Soda and White Vinegar – Drano Alternatives

Baking soda and white vinegar are sustainable substitutions for Drano. Most people have these items in their pantry at any given time.

Will Drano work if there is standing water?

Drano® cuts through standing water and removes clogs, which can be a source of odours and can harbour germs and bacteria.

What do plumbers use to unclog pipes?

Plumbers choose hydro jetting equipment for the most stubborn, deep-set clogs. This drain clearing tool uses high-pressure water to flush your pipes and remove years of buildup. The water jet is so strong that it can even break up any tree roots that have found their way into your sewer line.

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