Notes

These 6 drain cleaning tips will make you wish you knew them earlier
Typically, food product buildup, chemical concentrations, and grease buildup cause drain clogs in private homes. If severe, these clogs would require professional cleaning or repairs, which may not be economically feasible for some budgets or plumbing systems.

Generally, though, you can unclog these clogs with some at-home methods and tools, before contacting a professional plumber. As a result of the research conducted for this blog, we were able to collect six of the most effective, DIY drain cleaning techniques that homeowners can use to mitigate the effects of clogs and return their drain pipes to peak functionality.

The trick might be to use hot water
Sometimes a simple hot water clean is all you need to get your clogged or dirty drains running smoothly again. The combination of pressure, force, and heat from water can often dislodge clogged materials and buildup gunk in your drain pipes.

Run hot water through your clogged or dirty drains for about 15 minutes to achieve the best results. By using only heat and force, it is likely that these buildups will be removed, and your pipes will return to working optimally without charge. This is the simplest possible drain cleaning technique since it requires nothing more than a working faucet.

Use Tools You Already Have
You can clean your drains with other simple techniques that you may not have thought of; instead of buying DIY drain cleaning tools you should consider using these tools to make quick drain pipe fixes.

In the case of clogged or poorly performing drains, you might just need to use the plunger you already own. Specialty sink plungers, featuring optimized designs suitable for sink drains, are even more effective.

Regardless of the plunger you have on hand, the procedure for clearing a drain is basically the same: simply cover the drain opening with the plunger, and press back and forth continuously or fluidly in a smooth motion for about a minute. Avoid jamming the plunger down with too much force or speed. Fluid motions cause pressure to build up, which removes significant pipe clogging.

Also, if the fixture in question is equipped with an overflow vent (such as those on most conventional sinks, which prevent overflows), cover that vent beforehand; otherwise, you will lose all the air and pressure that you force down the drain, rendering your efforts meaningless.

You can create the best seal over a drain opening by applying petroleum jelly to the plunger; this seals the plunger to the fixture, preventing air from escaping.

Homemade Liquid Cleaners
For those drain clearing situations where the above methods aren't practical or don't work, you might want to try making your own homemade mixture solutions. Chemical drain cleaners can also break down and remove any drain pipe buildup in your pipes, but unlike chemicals, these cleaners do not risk damage or deterioration of your pipes after repeated use.

In general, at-home mixtures consist of vinegar and baking soda, already in your house, when mixed together, break down loose material in pipes while causing no damage to the pipe walls.

After pouring one cup of each down your drain pipes, follow it with boiling water after about 3 to 5 minutes. Using this drain cleaning method, you can free your drains of any clogging for a fraction of the price and danger risk of using chemical cleaners.

Drain snakes are useful for DIY plumbing jobs
If clogged drains or gunk build-up in your home are common problems, you should invest in a plumber's snake. Professional plumbers usually use these tools to clear standard drain pipes and excavate clogs, and they are quite affordable (around $25 to $50) and can begin to pay for themselves after just one use.

It may seem that these tools are only available to professionals, but homeowners have increasingly begun using snaking techniques to clear their drains. Drain snaking is View Website as 1-2-3:

When you have encountered resistance with the snake, start turning the handle clockwise until you have fed it through your drain pipes
Spin the snake against the blockage, letting it latch onto the clogged materials
Pull the snake slowly from your drain, removing the clogged material, and reassemble your drain cover
So, your drain clog problems can be entirely eliminated without the need for professional assistance.

Sugared Sodas and Drain Clogs
It's a strange drain cleaning trick, but it works because it's so unconventional, and it's so unconventional that it's easily overlooked. The homemade solutions offered previously in this blog can be used for drain clogs caused by soft drinks and sugary sodas, such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola products.

Soda applications are far safer than commercial drain cleaners, such as baking soda and vinegar, since phosphoric acid in these sodas breaks through clogged debris. It may even be more effective than chemical, commercial cleaners. The point is, when it comes to drain cleaning, sometimes the unconventional solutions work best.

Here are some tips to keep your drains flowing smoothly
You may have guessed that the best way to eliminate drain clogs is to avoid clogging altogether. For at least one year, Express Sewer & Drain recommends performing monthly drain checks and having a professional plumbing inspection. Proactive measures can prevent clogs from occurring at all or catch them in their early stages before they cause more serious problems.

Beyond regular self- and professional inspections, knowing what your drains can process is another method for limiting clogs. The most common cause of clogs in drains and garbage disposals is stringy, fibrous food items. You should also avoid putting animal bones, food wrappers, paper products, and grease down the drain.


Take advantage of these simple drain cleaning tips, and perform regular checks to prevent clogs from developing, to improve your home's plumbing performance. Contact us today so that you can find out what you can do right now to prevent severe drain clogging or if DIY drain renovations are a good option for you.

Website: https://canduplumbing.com/plumbing-services/drain-cleaning/