Home and Garden Tidbits

It is not always necessary to call a plumber or a septic service for a minor clog therefore I’m going to give you some money saving Do-It-Yourself drain cleaning tips. Of course, you may need to be able to use a plunger. And maybe even boil some water. I’ll try to walk you through this but just bear in mind that if these drain cleaning tips don’t work you might still have to call that plumber guy.

OK, of course the easiest way to clean your drain if it’s clogged is to just use a plunger. You can pick one up at your local hardward or home improvement store. And you can sometimes even find them in the cleaning products aisle at your market for around five dollars. If you are working on your double sided sink in the kitchen you will want to completely cover the drain that’s not clogged or the forced air from the plunger will simply go in one drain and out the other. If you are working on a single sink, like in your bathroom, you will need to cover the overflow valve for the same reason.

Now fill the sink with the clogged drain with enough water to come to the top of the plunger. Now place the plunger over the drain to make a seal and push down firmly and completely release. Repeat this step a dozen or so times or till your arm gets very tired. Whatever it takes to release the clog. When you’ve removed the clog, run warm water down the drain for a few minutes to get rid of any remaining particles.

If that did not work you can attempt a homemade drain cleaner. Do not get those commercial cleaners that have acid and lye in them. They’re bad for your pipes and the environment, too. Pour one quarter cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it up with several 2 ounce applications of white vinegar every few minutes. The foaming action will work on loosening the clog. Wait 10 minutes after the last application of vinegar and try plunging the drain and immediately follow with a few quarts of nearly boiling water. Plunge the drain again and that ought to clear your clog. Once more, follow up with some warm water to flush the drain out.

If these 2 suggestions do not help and you are the handy sort you could try removing the P-trap below the sink. Place a bucket or pan under the pipe and remove the pressure nuts on both ends of the trap by turning in a clockwise direction. Or you could go to the hardware store and get a snake for your little drain cleaning project. But be very careful. These snakes have sharp cutters on the tip to get rid of the clogs however you can get a nasty cut or even damage your pipes in the process if you’re not careful.

If none of those suggestions work then my next tip is to call your septic service. I know I said these were money saving tips. However if none of those methods work then you may have a serious problem on your hands and you may be making matters worse by trying to repair it yourself. You’ll probably save yourself a lot more money in the long run if you contact a professional to handle your drain cleaning.

Looking to find the best deal on Drain Cleaning, then visit www.septiclean.com to find the best advice on Drain Cleaning for you.