When your drain isn’t working properly it can be a real headache. Everyday tasks become sources of stress in your life, and none of us need more to worry about. Luckily, there are ways to unclog your drain yourself if you know what to do. Gotelli wants to help you resolve minor clogs quickly and recognize when you need professional help.
What Causes Drain Clogs?
Drains tend to take on more than we think as we wash dishes and shower. There are some common causes of drain clogs that you should be aware of when trying to clear yours out.
Hair
Hair is a prime suspect when you have a clogged drain because it very easily sticks to itself and becomes a tangled mess in your drain. Because it can become such a complex twisted mess it can cause rather severe problems.
Minerals
Minerals from your water – especially hard water – can build up over time inside your drain. The sediment accumulation can easily cause a blockage that prevents water from draining properly.
Soap Residue
All of the soaps we use to wash our hands and bodies have residue and grease that can make their home in our drains. Over time the materials can build up and even contribute to the hair and other clog culprits.
DIY Plumbing Solutions
Before calling a plumber it’s a good idea to try to clear your drain yourself. In the event that it’s a minor clog you could save yourself a lot of time by dislodging it with one of the following methods.
Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners
The first thing you might think to try to clear your drain is a chemical drain cleaner. While these chemicals might eat through your clog, they could also be a temporary solution.
The chemicals tend to bore a hole in the blockage, which allows some water through and makes it seem like your clog is cleared. But if the entire clog isn’t taken care of, that hole will collect debris again and you’ll be back where you started.
The chemicals used in drain cleaners are designed to be very harsh because they need to eat through really tough blockages. However, that same acidity can linger in your pipes and corrode them or the residue can even cling to faucet or drain openings and come into contact with your skin. Be very careful when using these liquids to avoid chemical burns and fumes in your lungs.
Natural Drain Cleaner
With a few common household items your clogged drain could be a thing of the past. The following are a few of the best homemade drain unclogging techniques that you should try.
- Boiling Water – Hot water poured down your drain can do wonders for dissolving and dislodging clogs.
- Baking Soda, Vinegar and Water – This mixture poured down your drain while hot works in several ways to loosen and move the clog.
- Vinegar Ice Cubes – Freezing water and vinegar into cubes to put down your drain helps to clear grime by using cold temperatures and the acidity of vinegar.
- Dish Detergent – Dish soap is designed to clean tough food residue and grease from dishes so it can also help do the same down the drain.
Time To Call A Plumber?
The best time to rely on professional plumbing help is when none of the solutions above are working to unclog your drain. Gotelli Plumbing can make quick work of even the toughest clogs by using drain snakes and other plumbing tools. Count on us for all your drain solutions!
