What to do when an outside drain is overflowing?

Author: Harrison Schuppe  |  Last update: Friday, June 20, 2025

Calling a plumbing professional is the best move to remedy the problem. If an outside drain is overflowing, you can inspect the blockage to feel out a deterrent that is clogging the water flow. The problem with trying to unclog overflowing drains is that the back up of water can make the task arduous and uncertain.

How to stop a drain from overflowing?

Stop Drain From Overflowing
  1. Use Boiling Water. If you pour a bucket of boiling hot water through the blocked drains, it will effectively clear out any soap scum or greasy residues from the drain pipes. ...
  2. Use Vinegar And Baking Soda.

Can I unblock an outside drain myself?

A great way to clear a blockage without using chemicals is to use a hose or pressure jet to force the obstruction through the pipe. To do this, you should first clear the drain as much as possible using your hands or tools and then scoop out the water to a manageable level.

What to use to unclog an outside drain?

Pouring bicarbonate soda and vinegar down the drain will help loosen the blockage. You can buy drain cleaners which will help soften mud and other debris. Keep testing the drain by flushing water down it to see if it clears.

How do you fix an overflowing outside drain?

Caustic soda and other chemical compounds can be used to unblock a drain. However, if you don't want to use strong chemicals, you can try effective homemade solutions. A solution of baking soda, vinegar and water may be all that is needed to unblock your outside drain.

DIY Fix For a Blocked Drain or Gully Outside

What is the best drain unblocker for outside drains?

Another method you can use to unblock an outside drain is using sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). Drop some of it in your drain along with some water. This will cause the debris causing the blockage to rise to the surface where you can fish it out.

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.

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.

How to unblock a down pipe outside?

If you already have a minor blockage, though, let's take a look at how to clear a blocked downpipe with nothing more than normal household items:
  1. Check for single objects. ...
  2. Get out the garden hose. ...
  3. Do a bit of banging. ...
  4. Move the hose up and down. ...
  5. Try a drain rod. ...
  6. Try a gutter vac. ...
  7. Try some chemicals. ...
  8. Remove/replace the downpipe.

Will bleach unblock an outside drain?

Bleach is an excellent outdoor drain cleaner, and it helps to remove the drainage smell as well. Caustic Soda: Chemical drain unblockers are useful substitutes to the conventional manual process of unclogging a drain with a drain rod.

How much does it cost to get an outside drain unblocked?

The average cost of drain jetting is around £70 to £175. Drain jetting is the preferred method for professional as it enables them to conduct a thorough clean to get rid of any problematic blockages.

Why is toilet paper coming out of the outside drain?

If you are connected to a septic tank, and you have a blockage in the drain between the house and your septic tank, your toilet paper will overflow through one of your external gully traps.

How to unblock an outside drain full of sand?

Connect a garden hose to an outdoor water source and place the nozzle directly into the drain opening. Turn on the water at full pressure and allow it to flow through the drain. The force of the water can help dislodge and flush away blockages.

Why is water coming out of my outside drain?

The main reasons why water is coming out of the drain is from a blockage in the trap, main plumbing lines, main drain or vent pipe. To deal with standing water removing the water can be done by unblocking the drain, such as using chemicals or plungers.

How do you unblock an overflow drain?

This combination will get drains flowing freely again. To do this, pour a cup of freshly boiled hot water down the drain. Next, pour a cup of baking soda into the drain. Follow this with a cup of half boiling water and half cleaning vinegar, and put the plug into the drain.

How do you unclog a drain that is full of water?

Use a plunger:
  1. Fill the sink with hot water halfway.
  2. Put the plunger over the drain and begin pumping up and down quickly several times.
  3. Remove the plunger, wait, and see if it helps the water drain.
  4. Keep repeating the process until the water starts to drain freely.

Can I unblock outside drain myself?

You'll need boiling water, a cup, bicarbonate of soda and some vinegar. Take the drain cover off and pour the boiling water down the drain. Add a cup of bicarb followed by a cup of vinegar, it should begin to fizz and bubble up. Replace the drain cover and repeat every couple of hours until the blockage is cleared.

How do you unclog an outside drain pipe?

The simplest option is to use a drain snake or auger to pierce and break up the clog. If you need something stronger, you can try using high-pressure water from a power washer to force clogs through the pipes. If you use a power washer, be sure to wear gloves as well as eye and ear protection.

Who to call for clogged downspout?

If you aren't comfortable on a ladder or your downspouts aren't working the way they should be, you may want to consider calling your local Roto-Rooter professional - Roto-Rooter offers several outdoor plumbing services, including downspout cleaning and repair.

What do plumbers use to unblock drains?

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 is the cheapest way to unclog a drain?

Salt and Baking Soda

Salt is a cost-effective alternative that works well for minor clogs. Mixing half a cup of table salt with baking soda and pouring it down the drain before adding boiling water can help break down grease and debris.

Does pouring vinegar down the drain unclog it?

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.

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.

Can I pour boiling water down the drain?

Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.

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.

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