It’s Possible to Unclog Your Drains Yourself

There is a sense of dread when you spot your sink or bathtub is slowly draining. There is no telling what hides below or how bad the blockage is. Luckily for you, the problem might not need a professional, but it could be something that you can handle yourself with some DIY drain cleaning tips.

One solution is to use a wire hanger. Bend and shape an old wire hanger into a small hook and fit it down into the drain. Your goal is to dislodge any hair or gunk and then pull it back up and toss it in the trash. Do not be too aggressive, as a back-and-forth motion with a few twists can get the job done.

When food or grime blocks your kitchen sink, you need not spring for the chemical cleaners. A simple and less expensive method involves things your home already has: water, a pot, and the stove. Boiling water is a safer, and less smelly, technique that will liquify the fats stuck in your kitchen sink and will help them spread further down the drain.

Do you want to feel like a kid again and recreate that volcano from elementary school? That mixture of baking soda and vinegar can unclog a drain. That “eruption” works best with your kitchen sink or bathtub, and when there is no standing water present.

Toss in a half cup of baking soda into the drain, then pour in half a cup of vinegar. Plug the drain with the stopper, and the pressure of the reaction will push the clog down and clear it.

The quickest method involves a tool that every home already has: the plunger. They design the classic plunger to work on every type of drain, and it works best on clearing localized clogs. The push and pull motion of the plunger applies a force on the clog via water pressure, and as long as you keep the seal, you will clear your drain in no time.

Most clogged drains take just a few minutes to dislodge, but some can be harder than others. In the extreme case that you cannot provide the drain cleaning your home needs, call the professionals at Sunrise Heating and Plumbing at 616-293-9326. By providing exceptional customer service, our staff can handle any problem.