As time goes by, homeowners don’t realize that their homes are getting old. Such homes exhibit many problems, especially plumbing issues. Drain problems can be annoying and can be problematic for homeowners. Luckily, you can fix some of these plumbing issues at home using natural homemade uncloggers. But in other cases, you need to hire professionals to get the job done.
In such cases, you need to look for the best plumbers available. At Essendon Plumbing and other services, you get professional plumbers to handle blocked drains and everything to do with broken drain repair.
To effectively unclog a drain in an old home, you must be aware of the drain issues in your home. The drain issues in an old house are similar to that of any house, but there are more clogged drains and sinks for older houses because of the decades of draining water, grease, soap scum, shampoo and sewage.
This post outlines natural, fast and inexpensive methods that will help unclog your drains without calling in the professionals.
Use A Solution Of Vinegar And Baking Soda
It’s one of the cheapest and most common home solutions for unclogging a drain. Vinegar is an acid, and baking soda – sodium bicarbonate – is a base. Mixing the two results in an explosive reaction, forming carbon dioxide gas. The explosive reaction and pressure from the gas produced help loosen or break the blockage into smaller clogs. At this point, pouring hot water will quickly wash away the blockage from your drainage system. To be effective, the ratio of vinegar to baking powder should be two to one.
Procedure
- First, pour hot water down the sink to help melt some of the blockages. It also improves the effectiveness of carbon dioxide.
- Pour one cup of baking soda into the clogged drain.
- Add two cups of vinegar and cover the drain with a seal to allow the explosion to spread throughout the drainage system. The seal also ensures that the gas doesn’t escape.
- Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the explosion and the gas to drive the blockage out of the drainage system.
- Run hot water down the drain.
Use A Bent Wire Hanger
Dirt, skin, hair and food debris can accumulate in your drain pipes, causing a slow drainage. When not addressed in time, the debris blocks your drains. Fortunately, a simple hanger can quickly unclog your drain. While unclogging pipes clogged by debris seem easy, it’s advisable to practice plumbing basics to prevent items like hair and food from entering your drainage.
Procedure
- Take a regular coat hanger and straighten it out.
- Design a small hook shape at one end of the wire.
- Insert this end slowly down your drain or sink and start to fish debris out.
- Don’t push the wire downwards to avoid pushing the blockage further downwards
- Use a gentle hooking and hooding motion to help break and remove the debris
Use A Mixture Of Salt And Baking Soda
The salt and baking soda mixture can do wonders for clogged drains. It’s more suitable for kitchen and bathroom sink pipes. The mixture softens and loosens the blockage that’s then easily washed away by hot water. The remedy also works against unpleasant drain smells.
Procedure
- Mix ½ a cup of salt with 1 cup of baking soda in a bowl
- Pour the mixture down the clogged drain and let it sit for at least two hours.
- Pour hot water to wash the clog away. However, if the clog persists, repeat the process and double the ingredients.
Use A Mixture Of Salt And Vinegar
The acidic properties of vinegar work great with salt. The mixture produces a synergistic effect that loosens and breaks down the debris into small items easily washed away by hot water. Like salt and baking soda, salt and vinegar also help neutralise foul odours.
Procedure
- Using a bowl, mix one cup of salt with two cups of vinegar
- Pour the mixture down the clogged drain, and let it sit for about 30 minutes
- Flush the drain with hot water to sweep away the debris. Repeat the process if necessary.
Use Dish Detergent And Hot Water
This combination is suitable for blockage with greasy or oily substances, so it’s appropriate for kitchen sinks. The hot water helps melt the oily debris, while the dish detergent dissolves the fat molecules in the water. Unfortunately, this process can’t help unclog hair-clogged drains.
Procedure
- Pour three tablespoons of liquid dish detergent into a pot of hot water.
- Stir the solution until the detergent dissolves in the water.
- Slowly pour the solution down the drain and afterward flush with hot water. If necessary, repeat the process.
Conclusion
There you go. The above practical tips will help unclog drains in your old home. If necessary, you can contact a reputable plumber to help you through the process.
