How to Make Natural Drain Cleaner
Drain clogs don't usually happen overnight. They are caused by buildup over time inside the drain and pipes. Caustic cleaners put chemicals and toxins into the water supply and can be expensive. You can easily make an inexpensive natural drain cleaner that is much better on the environment and the pocket book using common pantry items. This cleaner can be used in bathroom and kitchen drains, as well as drains that have a garbage disposal. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
Mixing the Cleaner
-
1
Mix 1/4 cup salt with 1 cup baking soda and pour down the drain. Let it sit for for 3 to 6 hours.
-
2
Boil 1 cup vinegar with 1 cup water in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl.
-
-
3
Pour the boiling vinegar solution down the drain. The mixture will fizz and quite a bit of foam may come up the drain and into the sink. Boil more of the mixture and repeat 1 to 2 more times after the fizzing stops.
-
4
Turn on the faucet and flush the vinegar and baking soda out of the drain to avoid damage to the pipes from the acid solution.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Grind citrus peels in the garbage disposal to dispel odors. If there is standing water in the sink from the clog, sprinkle a cup of washing soda in the water and let it sit until it loosens the clog enough for the water to drain.
Contact a plumber if clogs persist to avoid long term damage to your pipes.
References
- Photo Credit Musky306/http://sxc.hu
More Like This
Comments
-
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.
