So you are in the shower and washing your hair when suddenly you realize that you are standing in water that is up to your ankles. What do you do?
Or you are trying to brush your teeth and realize that your sink is filling up with water instead of draining? What do you do in that situation?
What about when you are cleaning up the kitchen after dinner only to find that your kitchen sink is blocked?
Well, in any of these situations you have two options. First, you can reach for your store-bought drain cleaner that costs a good amount of money and also can be harmful to the environment.
Or you could go for option number two where you make your own drain cleaner that could work just as effectively at a fraction of the cost and bring no harm to the environment. If you decide to go with option number two, here are a few recipes.
Practical DIY Drain Cleaning Methods
1. Baking Soda and Vinegar
Most people keep baking soda and vinegar on hand. Baking soda is great for baking and freshening your fridge. While vinegar is good for canning and cheap cleaning. You can also make it yourself, too.
So when your drain gets clogged, reach for these items:
- 1 cup of baking soda
- ½ cup of vinegar
First, you’ll want to pour the 1 cup of baking soda down the drain. Then you’ll add the ½ cup of vinegar. When this has been done you’ll need to cover your drain with either a plate, stopper, or any other circular object that’ll do the trick.
Next, you’ll need to let this bubbly mixture sit in your drain for about 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes is up, you’ll want to run hot tap water down the drain for about 3 minutes. You should begin to notice that the water drains easily.
However, if it doesn’t, repeat the process until the clog is gone. You can also perform this once a month to prevent clogs in your drains as well.
2. Baking Soda and Vinegar Express
This method is very similar to the first option, but it is a little speedier since it cuts out the waiting process.
Again, you’ll need the following items:
- 1 cup of baking soda
- ½ cup of vinegar
Then you’ll pour the baking soda and vinegar down the clogged drain. This time, however, you won’t just cover the drain and let it sit.
Instead, you’ll pour boiling water down the drain when the bubbling chemical reaction has stopped. A good way to do this without burning yourself is to put water in a tea kettle and heat it.
Then just pour it down the drain until the clog subsides. This should take care of the clog if you are in a hurry.
3. Freshen Up!
This method actually prevents blocked drains. Not to mention, if you have a sink (like a laundry sink or garden sink) that you don’t use very often, then this is a good way to avoid getting that gross musky smell that often develops from it hardly being used.
So in this case, you will need:
- ½ cup of baking soda
- ¼ cup of salt
- 1 cup of vinegar that has been heated
Then you’ll want to take the ½ cup of baking soda and the ¼ cup of salt and pour it down your drain.
Next, you’ll want to add the cup of heated vinegar to the mix by pouring it down the drain. This will cause a chemical reaction. You’ll allow the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes.
Finally, you’ll want to turn the faucet on hot and allow it to run for a minute or so. This should clear any forming blockages and also kill any unwanted odors.
4. Borax, Baking Soda, and Salt
In a previous article, I shared with you the many different uses for borax. Clearing a clogged drain is certainly one more way borax can be used around your home. Which is great news because borax is pretty inexpensive.
So for this method, you’ll need:
- ¼ cup of salt
- ¼ cup of borax
- ½ cup of vinegar
- Hot water
You’ll begin by placing the salt and borax down the clogged drain. Then you’ll pour the vinegar over top of it.
Next, you’ll allow the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes or until the mixture stops reacting. When the reaction is through you’ll want to turn the faucet to hot water and allow it to run for a few minutes until you can see the drain working better.
Also, you’ll want to make sure that the borax has been thoroughly rinsed down the drain as well. Though borax is natural; it is powerful. You definitely don’t want to leave it sitting in your pipes.
5. Baking Soda and Lemon Juice
Are you like my kids and absolutely can’t stand the smell of vinegar? If so, you are in luck because there is a natural alternative for unclogging your drain that doesn’t involve vinegar at all.
In fact, it actually involves lemon juice that will leave a fresh scent in your drain that you might actually enjoy.
So for this method of unclogging your drain, you’ll need:
- ½ cup of baking soda
- 1 cup lemon juice
In this instance, you’ll pour the baking soda down the drain.
Next, you’ll pour the lemon juice down the drain. At this point, you should see a chemical reaction take place.
So you can leave it covered or uncovered. The main thing is to allow the reaction to sit until it is finished. It should be completely finished in about 15 minutes.
From there, you’ll want to turn the faucet to hot and let the water run for about 2-3 minutes. When you see the water is going down the drain smoothly, then you’ll want to allow the water to run for about a minute longer to ensure the drain is completely rinsed.
Then you are done.
6. Baking Soda, Salt, and Cream of Tartar
Do you have metal pipes? Do you want to unclog your drain and actually clean the metal at the same time?
Well, with this method, you can. You’ll need:
- ½ cup of baking soda
- ½ cup of salt
- 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
- Boiling water
You’ll begin the process by mixing up the baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. You can mix it in a bowl or in a mason jar. You’ll actually be making a double batch so if you want to store it, then you’ll probably want to mix it in a mason jar.
But if you only want enough for this one batch, then just cut the quantities in half.
Once everything is mixed, you’ll pour half of the mixture (if you used the measurements listed above) into the drain.
Then you’ll pour about 2 cups of boiling water over the mixture and down the drain.
Again, it is recommended that you use a tea kettle of some sort so you don’t run the risk of burning yourself.
Next, you’ll allow this mixture to sit in your drain for an hour or more.
Once this is done, you’ll want to run hot water down your drain for about 2-3 minutes. You may have leftover residue in your sink so be sure to clean that out once the drain is unclogged.
7. Just Boiling Water
This is my go-to easy method whenever I have a clog in my drain. Yes, these other methods are great because they form a bubbling chemical reaction that really deep cleans your pipes and gets things moving and clean.
But I’m going to be honest with you. I’m usually running at about 100 miles per hour. I don’t always have the time (even the 5 minutes) it takes to whip up some of these recipes.
So when I have a clog in my drain, and I need it fixed super fast I turn to boiling water. It is my instant friend.
Now, it may not make my drain spit-shined clean, but it’ll usually make it to where the water isn’t backing up.
Then when I have more time, I can come back and do a thorough cleaning later.
So all you’ll need in this instance is:
- A tea kettle (recommended but a pot could work too)
- Water
Now, you’ll just need to fill up your tea kettle or pot with water. Then place it on high heat until the water is boiling. It doesn’t need to be a rolling boil, but enough of a boil that the bubbles are happening.
Then you’ll pour it down your clogged drain. Be careful not to burn yourself. You should see the water go down pretty quickly. If not, then pour more hot water over it until the drain begins to function properly.
8. Snake it Out
Our final drain cleaning option is using a drain snake. Let’s say you have a giant glob of hair stuck in your drain, or your child decided to put a small object in the sink.
Well, hot water and chemical reactions probably aren’t going to be able to clear that out.
So in those cases, you need a drain snake to help clear the drain. You’ll have to purchase the item and follow the instructions enclosed.
But once you run the snake all the way down your drain, the water should begin to subside rather easily. Isn’t that a simple fix?
So you now have 8 different natural drain cleaning options and recipes. The next time you find your drain is clogged, you won’t have to worry about making a trip to the store, calling a plumber, and spending more money than you want.
Instead, you can try these DIY options first.
But I want to know, how do you unclog your drains? Do you have another natural and DIY method that works well for you?
Please, share your thoughts with us. We love hearing from you. Just be sure to leave your remarks in the comment section provided below.
