Unclog Your Drains Safely

One of my readers contacted me about unclogging her bathroom sink.  As a conscientious environmentalist, she was surprised and frustrated when baking soda and vinegar didn’t unclog her drain.  She was adamant about not using conventional, off the shelf products with lye and other toxic chemicals and wondered if there were other natural products that work better. 

Baking soda and vinegar really do work, but it‘s important to use the right amount and follow the directions of this tried and true recipe I’ve listed below.  For stubborn clogs, you may even have to repeat it a couple of times. 

Important:  Do not use this recipe if there is standing water in the sink.

Pour ½ to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain; slowly pour ½ to 1 cup of vinegar (distilled white vinegar is good) after.  Cover the drain immediately with a cloth or rag so the fizzing interaction cannot escape. (Remember “erupting volcanoes” with your kids?  It is the same fizzing action created by mixing vinegar and baking soda.)  Let it sit for 5 minutes or up to 30 minutes depending on the severity of the clog.  Follow with a gallon of boiling water.  If necessary, pour more boiling water down the drain or repeat the entire process.

Some recipes add a cup of salt to the boiling water, followed by running warm water for 10 minutes to clear any product from the drain.  If this doesn’t work, try using a sink plunger after pouring down the liquids.  The plunger creates suction and forces open the clog.

This procedure by the way also cleans your pipes at the same time.  And unlike conventional chemical products, baking soda and vinegar won’t harm your pipes and of course not you or the water table.

I used to tell my kids if you are ever stranded on an island, make sure you have baking soda and vinegar with you – there are millions of uses, culinary, medicinal and cleaning.  Click here to read more.

Information compiled from Home Comforts – The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson and thegoodhuman.com.

For more green tips, visit greenwithbetsy.com.

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