There are many things worse than a clogged drain. They can lead to health issues from different bacteria and microbes, structural damage from flooding that warps floorboards and rots supports, and attract pests like drain flies.
According to plumbers in Weldon Springs MO, you can keep your drains clean and clear using a few do-it-yourself solutions.
Place a Drain Trap Over Your Sink
The drain trap, also known as the P-trap, is a curved section of pipe that sits under your sink. The P-trap collects food scraps, coffee grounds, hair, and soap scum before they flow further into your home’s drainage system.
Clogs in the P-trap or trap arm are usually much easier to remove than clogs further down your drain line. To clean your trap, start by loosening the slip nut washer and a slip nut securing the trap arm to the stub-out or wall fitting.
Keep Grease Away From Your Drains
Plumbers in Weldon Springs MO say it’s essential never to dump cooking grease down your drain. It can harden into a solid blockage that can cause your pipes to clog. Instead, scrape the fat off your plates into the garbage can to avoid these issues.
Baking soda and vinegar are another excellent way to keep your drains clean. Every couple of weeks, pour half a cup of baking soda down your drain, followed by half a cup of vinegar, and then boiling water. This combination foams up and helps remove debris from your drain.
Use Baking Soda & Vinegar
The most practical and inexpensive way to clean your sink drain is to use baking soda and vinegar. Vinegar is dilute acetic acid, and baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which creates a chemical reaction that can break down many things that clog your sink.
To clean your drain, heat a pot of boiling water, pour in a cup of vinegar, and then a cup of baking soda. The bubbling reaction and the hot boiling water help to remove grime, hair, soap, food grease, and other materials that build up in your sink.
Place Salt & Boiling Water
Although it might seem counterintuitive to pour salt down a drain, the roughness of the salt breaks up soap scum and grease gunk. Place a cup of table salt down the sink drain and flush it with boiling water. Avoid boiling water that is too hot, which could damage or scorch your pipes.
Try mixing equal parts of baking soda and white vinegar for kitchen drains notorious for clogging. This will create a fizzing reaction that can help dislodge a blockage.
Pour Dish Soap & Boiling Water
Grease and fats can quickly build up in drain pipes, causing them to clog. This can be dangerous to the health of your family and can also damage your sink. You can use liquid dish soap to clean your drains periodically to prevent this. This will help break up and dissolve the grease and fats in your drain.
Mix a tablespoon of liquid dish soap (Dawn works well) with two liters of boiling water to clean your drain. Pour this down your clogged drain and wait a few minutes.
Use a Plunger
Often the first sign of a clogged sink is standing water. Boiling hot water can quickly dissolve soap scum and other blockages. Using a plunger can be an effective way to unclog your drain.
Most clogs occur in the curved drain trap beneath your sink. Using baking soda and vinegar regularly can help prevent these clogs from occurring in the first place. If this doesn’t work, try removing the trap and disassembling the drain arm assembly and continuous waste tee.
Place Petroleum Jelly Over Your Plunger
It’s not a secret that plunging can help unclog your sink drain. However, did you know that it can be even more effective if you use petroleum jelly?
Rub some jelly onto the plunger’s rim to prepare it for a tight seal. Then, place it over the clogged sink drain and pump up and down.
Block overflow vents or second sink drains connected to the same pipe with a wet cloth. If the clog persists, call in a plumber to avoid any damage to your pipes.
Use a Drain Snake
If you’ve tried to clear the drain using your plunger and it still isn’t working, it’s time to call plumbers in Weldon Springs MO. Often, this is due to more giant clogs further down the pipe that you need a professional to handle.
Start by removing the trap arm and p-trap. Place a bucket underneath the drain pipe.
Next, loosen the snake’s setscrew and pull out six to 10 inches of cable. Feed the snake into the clogged pipe and crank the handle. The snake should move quickly until it meets resistance or reaches the clog.
