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Have you ever asked yourself “how to make drain cleaner from household products”. If the answer is yes, then you should definitely read the following article below.
A home is a place where everyone wishes to be in complete comfort, without any worries or troubles of the outside world. But that can change very quickly if some of the things in the home start acting out. One of these things is the drainage. It is almost inevitable that every homeowner will be faced with this problem sooner or later.
The dreaded issue of a clogged drain can cause not only an enormous amount of stress but can result in an expensive dent on your wallet in the shape of a plumber. In most cases, it is best that you call in an expert and let them deal with the whole thing. It makes sense since they’re the experts and know how to effectively and efficiently deal with problems of these sorts.
This won’t be a bad decision but as mentioned earlier, it will be an expensive one. That is why before you try calling and booking a plumber, you should seriously consider clearing the blockage of your drains on your own. You can use multiple tools and techniques to get that done; such as a high-quality dirt-bursting formula or a cleaning tool.
But even that’s not as simple a task as it may sound. There are hundreds of tried and tested chemical brands on the market that promise grand results but inevitably fail to deliver on their word. There is no dearth of products on the market that are overhyped and will in all cases leave you disappointed with the results.
The process of properly using them is also time-consuming and thanks to the numerous chemicals in them, they present a minor health hazard.
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Most drain opener products claim effectiveness but are often found lacking in their actual performance. Hence, the best alternative to these ineffective and outrageously expensive products is to come up with your own home made solutions. Not only are they an inexpensive alternative but also safer and far more reliable in some cases.
Most of these alternatives can be compiled and properly assembled using basic items that can be found in any household. Hence, you won’t have any particular difficulty in arranging them.
So, if you are wondering how to make drain cleaner from household products, here are some of the most effective ways you can use them to clear up your drainage pipes and get rid of any nasty gunk inside them.
The Bent Wire Hanger:
As the name suggests, this homemade solution is not only simple but extremely effective. You’ll need a regular wire coat hanger and get it straightened out as much possible. The unique structure as well as the lean design of the wire hanger makes it an easy option to use.
Once you’ve gotten the coat hanger straightened out, you’ll need to bend one end over to create small hook. This hook will not only help you maneuver around the drain effectively but also make it easy to pull out any goo that might be clogging the drainage pipes.
This wire hanger can be extremely useful in getting rid of the strands of hair and other stuff out from the drains. As they do not decompose easily, they can clog up the drains over time. The wire hanger offers you a practical and inexpensive option to clean your drains. However, you should be careful in using the wire hanger. There is a chance that instead of pulling out the nasty gunk; you might push it further inside.
Be sure to pull out in small quantities. Once you’re confident that you’ve pulled out as much gunk out as possible, run plenty of hot water. This will not only clean up the drains but also prove useful in washing away any other smaller blockages in the drains.
Baking Soda and Vinegar:
This is a simple mixture and it can prove incredibly effective in promptly clearing up your drainage system from any unwanted gunk. The recipe to create this mixture is fairly simple; mix 1/3rd cup of baking soda with 1/3rd cup of vinegar in a proper measuring cup. It’s important that you get the quantities correct. If you make an error in the quantities than it won’t be potent enough and will not give you the results that you’re looking for.
Once you’ve correctly mixed them, it will fizz almost immediately. Hence, you should pour this down the drain as quickly as possible. The fizzing solution will be able to clear out all the gunk, hair and grime that have built up in your pipes over time. You’ll probably need to keep the solution to sit in the pipes for an hour or even the whole night depending on your drains. In any case, it’s both safer and preferable to apply this solution overnight and not use those drains for the rest of the night.
After that, you should careful flush those pipes with hot water. While it’s not necessary, it is recommended that you get as much dry baking soda as possible down the drain first. You should follow this up by pouring vinegar down the drains. This will clear up any remaining gunk and clear up the pipes more effectively.
Wet & Dry Vacuum:
The wet and dry vacuum can be a wonderful tool to get the drains unclogged. They can apply pressure and force the nasty gunk to clear up the pipes. The best way to use this vacuum is to set it to vacuum liquids initially. You should be careful about covering up the vent as it could get pretty messy due to the intense suction that this vacuum will produce. Once you’ve covered up the vent be sure create the tightest seal possible over the drains. Though it might sound a little too old school, but the traditional plunger head works the best in this scenario. Turn on the vacuum at its highest setting.
Most of the modern vacuums are powerful enough to clear up all the clogging in the pipe. As opposed to the other alternatives on this list, this isn’t effective all the time but it can provide satisfying results if carried out properly.
Boiling Water:
This is perhaps the easiest tip on this list. All you need to do is simply put on some water in a kettle, stove or microwave. You should boil up as much water as you think you’ll need. Once you’ve gotten he required amount of boiled water, pour it down in two or three stages. It’s important that you don’t pour it all down at once since there’s good chance the water might kick back if it can’t clear up the pipes. Pouring water in little quantities will allow the drains to be cleared in a systematic manner. You should allow the water to work for a couple of seconds before water again.
It is fairly simple without any complications. In most cases, this will clear up the minor clogs in your drain without much hassle.
Caustic Soda:
This is the one solution that will require significant amount of precaution from your side. So it is highly recommended that you get your hands on some rubber gloves and some form of eye protection before you choose to apply this option. Caustic soda (also known as Sodium Hydroxide) can be incredibly useful in clearing up your drains but it can also cause a fair amount of physical damage if not handled with care. It has been known to cause intense chemical burns as well as allergic reactions.
They can be easily procured from the local hardware store. You can also pick up the protective equipment from the same hardware store. Begin by pouring ¾ gallon of cold water into a bucket. Now add 3 cups of caustic soda. Carefully stir it without making any unprotected skin contact. The best way to stir this solution is by using a wooden or plastic handle. Just as the liquid begins fizzing and heating up you should pour it down the clogged drain.
You should let it sit for 30-45 minutes in order to properly clear up the drains. As with the other options, you should follow this up by flushing it with hot boiling water. You can additionally perform this process a number of times if the clogging in your pipes is really bad.
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Cleaning the Pipes:
There are a lot of jobs that only a professional plumber can perform with expertise. However, this is one of the jobs that can be performed by anyone who puts their mind to it. You’ll only need the most basic equipment for this. Firstly, take an empty medium sized bucket and place it underneath the U-shaped pipe. This is the pipe is usually located exactly under the sink. Once you’ve gotten he bucket in place, use a wrench in order to loosen the nuts at both the ends of the pipe. Once you’ve properly loosened the nuts, you can begin removing the pipe. If there is any water in the pipe, the bucket will make sure it doesn’t spill over.
You can now begin examining the pipe. If you can clearly see any debris you can start getting the gunk out. In most cases, the earlier mentioned wire coat hanger is the best option to get the pipe properly cleaned. Once you’re satisfied that you’ve cleared the gunk you should rinse the pipe with water properly and put the pipe back into place.
In a lot of cases, this will usually do the trick and unclog your drainage.
The Drain Snake:
This is another piece of equipment that professional plumber love but can be used by anyone. This is a simple yet effective tool that can work wonders. It is a lean, long and flexible metal pipe with a spiral of metal at the end of it. There isn’t any specific way that you need to use this equipment. You can use it on any drain that’s clogged. It can be extremely effective in clearing out any debris from the drains. You can additionally flush in boiling water down the drains to clear up the pipes more effectively.
Salt and Baking Soda:
This is another effective mixture to clear up any clogging in your pipes. It is also easy to make. You’ll need to mix ½ cup of table salt with ½ cup of baking soda. The mixture that you’ll get from mixing these two will be potent enough to clear up your drains. The mixture will be fizzing so you should pour it down the drains as quickly as possible. You should leave this liquid for about 10-20 minutes. Afterwards, you should pour boiling water down the drains. This will cause a chemical reaction that can easily clear up your clogged pipes.
This is considered as one of the most effective homemade ways to clear up the clogging due to the simplicity of the recipe as well as the minimal risk involved in using it.
Dish Detergent:
This is not widely known, but dish detergents have incredible potency to clear clogged drains. Just ¼ cup of dish detergent is enough to clear the pipes. You should follow this up by pouring boiling water down the drain. The dish detergent is particularly useful in clearing up pipes that have excess amounts of greasy residue. After you’ve poured down the hot water, you should follow this up with some plunging. The increased pressure by the plunger can help in clearing up the clogged pipes.
Baking Soda and Vinegar + Pressure:
The baking soda and vinegar tip has already been mentioned above. But in the case of bath tubs, this trick might not be potent enough on its own to clear the pipes. If that’s the case then you can add another element to the recipe and create a better solution. Once you’ve poured the solution down the drain, cover it up with a stopper. After 45-60 minutes have passed, get the bathtub filled with water. Then, remove the stopper. The pressure of 40-60 gallons of water can dislodge almost all the gunk inside the pipes and clear them up. You can additionally use a drains snake or even the plunger to clear up the pipes even further.