The frugal way to unclog a drain
I hate using chemicals on stuff, because they’re bad for the environment and usually expensive to boot. So when our drain started to clog up, I hit up the internet for alternatives. What I found was that about a half cup of baking soda + some vinegar does the trick. The steps are simple:
1. Remove anything that’s obviously clogging the drain (such as hair) by hand first if you can get to it.
2. Pour about a half cup of baking soda into the drain.
3. Add a little vinegar, and watch the “volcano effect” occur as it gets to work.
4. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes.
Tough clogs may require chasing this mixture with hot water.
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October 26th, 2007 at 7:00 am
My frugal way is to remove the trap under the sink. I’ve found pouring treatments down the drain is only a temporarily fix.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:10 am
Nice tip! I actually have to deal with that problem this weekend so I will try your idea. I must admit I don’t shy away from the chemicals for environmental reasons (though maybe I should), but I find the cost quite prohibitive.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Thanks for the tip…. How did it work? I’ve tried those stupid drain fixes from the store and they definitely don’t work.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Oh it works just fine, although sometimes you have to use quite a bit of hot water.
October 26th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
The best thing I’ve found for keeping our drains clean is putting metal mesh filters in each drain (kitchen sinks, shower/tub, bathroom sink). We empty them into the garbage often and it has kept our drains clean and draining smoothly for quite a while.
My daughters both have long hair and we always had a problem with hair clogs in the shower/tub. This has gotten rid of that problem.