Beat That Blockage! Unblocking Your Drains with Simple Household Items

Even if you're careful to prevent food debris and hair from entering your kitchen or bathroom plugholes, blocked drains can still occur. It's practically impossible to stop 100% of these things from being drained away into your pipes, and over time a blockage will build up. Of course you can buy a harsh chemical drain cleaner, but these cleaners should always be used sparingly, since they can damage your pipes. In the case of plastic pipes, they can eat a hole clean through the side!

There are a few things you probably already have at home that can be extremely effective at removing blockages, and are far kinder to your pipes. So before you reach for a harsh chemical, you should look in your kitchen cupboard or bathroom first:

Vinegar

The mild acidity of vinegar makes it ideal for breaking up small clogs. Pour a generous amount of vinegar into the drain - approximately one cup. Use white or malt vinegar. More flavoursome vinegars such as red wine or balsamic are generally not acidic enough to be truly effective and are best left for salad dressings. Allow it to rest for twenty minutes and then pour the contents of a freshly boiled electric kettle into the drain. The smell can be quite strong, but it will quickly fade away. This method also deodorizes the drain.

Hair Conditioner

Conditioner keeps your hair silky smooth whether it's on your head or lodged in a drain. This is particularly helpful in shower drains where clumps of hair can cause problems. Squirt some conditioner into the drain (use about twice what you would use on your hair). Wait for 30 minutes and follow with the contents of a freshly boiled electric kettle. The conditioner moisturises and lubricates the hair, making it more pliable. This allows it to be washed away when it's hit with the boiling water.

Denture Cleaning Tablets

If you have denture cleaning tablets at home, you can put them to work unblocking a drain. Take two tablets and crumble them into the drain in question. The tablets release thousands of tiny bubbles that dislodge debris - exactly what they do when they clean dentures. For a problematic clog, you can follow up with half a cup of white or malt vinegar, and then pour freshly boiled water into the drain. The tablets work almost immediately, so you just need to wait a few minutes for results.

It's great just how effective these methods are for unclogging pesky blockages from your drains. Give it a try, and you'll be surprised at how much can be achieved without strong chemicals. To learn more, contact a company like A and C Plumbing.