How to Unclog Drains with Baking Soda and Vinegar Mix

Blocked or clogged drains are one of the most common and nastiest plumbing issues. Drain cleaning is not a very difficult task and it does not have to involve a professional every time. There are many blocked drain issues that can also be resolved using basic tips and methods. However, for deeper clogs, you have to hire the services of a professional to get the drain cleaned and unclogged.

Unclogging Drains with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. It is commonly found in nearly every kitchen. This product has the magical properties to clean clothes, and appliances and even for cleaning blocked drains. It is a naturally occurring compound that can remove grease and dissolve mineral deposits easily.

Baking soda has also got disinfectant properties that can kill odor-causing bacteria as well and keeps the drains unclogged, fresh, and clean. The use of baking soda on a regular basis helps in preventing clogged drains.

Vinegar is another common item found in your kitchen. When these two substances are mixed together, they react and help in the drain cleaning of blocked drains. However, they can also be mixed with other substances to get better results. Some of the helpful mixes for clogged drains and drain cleaning are described below.

1. Baking Soda and Vinegar for Drain Cleaning

Follow the below steps to unclog the blocked drain with vinegar and baking soda.

If the drain is totally clogged and you are facing the issue of no draining water at all, then first take a plunger. A plunger is a common device that you find in your bathroom or kitchen. Start plunging the blocked drain. Fill water to soak the bottom of the plumber and start plunging again and again. In the end, pull out the plunger with a sudden thrust and see if the water starts draining or not.
Remove any drain cover or drain stopper from the top of the drain. Try removing any items you see on top of the drain. Try a wire coat hanger and straighten it out first and place it inside the drain. Start moving the wire to get hold of the items causing the blockage like hair or food particles etc.
Now take a pot and fill it with water. Put it on the stove and start boiling it. Boil it until it reaches the boiling point.
Now turn off the stove and let the water cool a bit as the boiling hot water can damage the seals between PVC pipes.
Pour down the hot water into the clogged drain to remove and melt away any grease or debris causing a blockage in the drain.
After you have poured down all the boiled water down the drain, now is the time to pour down baking soda for drain cleaning.
Take 2 cups of baking soda and pour them down the drain that is blocked or clogged.
When the soda settles down at the bottom of the drain now is the time to pour down vinegar.
Take 1 cup of distilled white vinegar or food-grade vinegar. Pour the vinegar down the drain and see what happens.
You will start hearing frizz sounds coming out of the drain. These sounds are caused by the reaction that happens between baking soda and vinegar when they combine.
After you start hearing frizz sounds, cover the drain with a stopper or drain cover in order to let the mixture rest inside for some time and do its work to clean the grease or debris causing the clog.
After a few hours, uncover the drain again and start plunging again. The debris that has melted down due to the hot water and baking soda, vinegar mixture will come out with the help of a plunger.
Now you will gain need hot water.
Take a pot and boil water as described earlier. Pour down boiling hot water down the drain to clear out any debris and flush out the components inside the drain causing the clog.
Place back the drain cover that you have removed previously.

Tips to Help Prevention of Clogged Drains

Blocked drains are never a pleasant thing as they are not only frustrating but they also require you to do drain cleaning which is a tiresome process. Here are some tips that can help you in the prevention of clogged drains. Call a plumber if you don’t know how to manage this all.

You can use sink strainers in order to stop the debris and other useless items from going down the drain. When hair, food particles, or other foreign items find their way inside the drains, they start forming debris inside the drains. This debris causes the blockage of drains. That is why; the simplest way to keep your drains clean is by using products like strainers to stop the entry of any small particles inside the drains.
Another useful tip is that never pour down grease in the drain. Grease is the greatest enemy of drains. It forms a thin film inside the drains and pipes which in turn disturbs the flow of water and results in a clog. Therefore, you should never pour down grease inside drains and instead pour it in separate cans and dispose of them away.
Always use the power of hot boiling water. You may think that what hot water can do in case of blocked drains or drain cleaning. However, an interesting fact is that boiling hot water is a magical substance for cleaning your drains. You should pour down boiling hot water inside the drains after every 2 or 3 days. This will work wonders to help in the prevention of clogging of drains. Hot water will melt down all the debris inside the drains and keep on cleaning the drains on regular basis.