How to Clean a Sink Drain
Is your drain sluggish or backed up? It's a good idea to clean your drainage pipes to keep them free of odors and clogs. Here are a few simple steps to keep your drains odor free and draining properly.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Lemon Juices
- Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Drain Cleaners
- Rock Salt
- Measuring cups
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1
Every few days run very hot tap water through the drain. This is one way to keep a drain free of odors. Treat any partially clogged drains promptly.
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2
Put a tablespoon of baking soda into the kitchen drain about once a week, then slowly pour in 1/4 cup of vinegar or lemon juice and let it stand for 30 minutes. Next run run hot water through the drain to eliminate minor buildups and odors.
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3
Pouring a strong salt water (brine) solution down the kitchen sink drain will eliminate odors and keep grease from building up.
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4
Consider buying a drain cleaner solution if you have drains you can't clear out naturally. Be sure to read the label regarding the product suitability safety for your drain pipes.(Some chemical drain cleaners will harm plastic drain pipes). Make sure the solution is safe for plastic pipes or a garbage disposal. Be sure to follow the drain cleaner instructions.
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5
Alternatively, consider a natural drain cleaner even for blockages. Remove any standing water then pour 1/2 c. baking soda into your drain. Follow this with 1/2 c. white vinegar. The baking soda is basic and the vinegar is acidic, so they will react with a churning action should break up the blockage without using any chemicals.
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6
Call a licensed plumber for anything beyond regular drain cleaning and simple unclogging of drains.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Help keep tree roots from growing into house drains by flushing either 2 cups rock salt or 2 ups of copper sulfate down the toilet during the last flush of the night. (You may have to flush a few times to get the material down). Don't use both products at the same time. Repeat the process two weeks later, then wait at least six months before doing it again.
Use drain insert strainers to help prevent any vegetable matter going down a kitchen drain. If you have to put some grease down a drain follow it with a lot of hot water to clear the drain pipes.
Clean hair out of bathroom or shower before they can go down the drain and possibly cause a blockage.
If you decide to use a chemical drain cleaner, be very careful. Follow the directions and react immediately if you get the drain cleaner on your skin, eyes or even clothes. Follow the flushing instructions on the container.
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Comments
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my bathroom washbasin and kicken sink both r blocked water does not going. I pour clog remover liquied but it did not done anything.. now what can I do? if I open kitcten tap and bathroom;s washbasin tap both becomes full of water.. suggerst me what to do?
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me too Russ. than it affected the garbage disposal. i learned
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Don't pour grease down the drain. I just found a lady doing that. It clog the drain pipe big time.
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ericl11000
Dec 03, 2010
tried a formula like this. after the baking soda and vinegar i used pots of boiling water to rinse the drain to remove anything else. unfortunately it washed all of the junk into the main pipe and clogged it completely. i took apart all the pipes under the sink and cleaned them but it was the main pipe that got clogged. i had to use store bought drain cleaner. anyone who uses this method should clean the drain often. -
ahonda
Feb 20, 2010
Unbelieveable drain cleaner. I used the 1/2 cup of backing soda in the drain followed by 1/2 cup white vinegar and in just a few moments the drain was no longer backed up. I think we had some potatoe peels in the drain and it had backed up through the dishwasher. Thanks to the above suggestion, I will use this again when needed. To anyone else that is reading this do not hesitate in using the backing soda/white vinegar solution.
