Call it Murphy's Law. Call it payback for being up so late. Or just call it a giant pain in the you-know-what.
Your sink would clog in the middle of the night when you're out of drain cleaner and the stores are closed, and leaving it to sit means the kids will come down to it in the morning and make a giant mess.
Or you can go with the quick -- and green -- option: science class.
Remember the volcanoes you made as a kid with nothing more than baking soda and vinegar?
The chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide, and the pressure that builds up causes bubbles to push their way up out of the volcano for "lava."
Only in the case of clogged drains, it's your clog that comes out -- all the bits of hair, soap scum, and unidentifiable objects. And bonus points: You don't have to go searching for just the right food dye for that "real" lava look.
Wipe down the sink with a rag to remove the detritus, then pour a pot of hot water down the drain to push the rest of the clog out of the way.
A good tip: Try to bail out the worst of the water or let it slowly drain before you try this -- the chemical reaction can't do its job unless it's IN the drain.
This works like a charm in my bathroom sink and gave me ammunition to remind my husband NOT to shave with the drain open. I'll never buy a commercial drain cleaner again.
Have you tried this trick for your drain?
Image via Andrew.Beebe/Flickr
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Comments 23
I tried this a few weeks back and was surprised at just how well it worked! The only thing is that I found I had to use a bit more vinegar than most of the sites told me to use - more like 2/3 cup rather than the recommended 1/2. I'm also never buying a drain cleaner again.
I have had problems with getting this technique to work, and that's disappointing because I clean EVERYTHING with baking soda and vinegar - I don't even buy other cleaning products except for one jug of bleach that I use for the toilet and the bathroom floor. I have to give it a try again. Maybe if I pour a tea kettle of boiling water down the drain instead of turning on the faucet to hot water.
I use this all of the time. You really do want to flush the drain with boiling water after you do this Girls. It helps to break up the clog and clear the drain. :-)
Not only does it clear your drain it freshens it up too. I put this combo through every so often to avoid the nasty smell you can get when your dh doesn't care to clean the drain.
I'm going to try this.
I use it in our sinks if they start running slow and it always works like a charm. Laurieanne42 is correct, you do need to poor boiling water down the drain after you are done.
You can also purt vinegar in ice cube trays and freeze it. Then put it in your garbage disposal along with some baking soda and run it to make it smell fresh and clean it up.
I'll have to try this.....anything is better than sulfuric acid, that my landlord and handyman poured down my drain. It fixed the problem but it ran me and the kids out of the house cuz of the fumes.
I've been using this method for years! It's help to keep our plumbing clear, so we didn't have to use Liquid Plumber, etc.
I have also heated the vinegar to almost boiling in the microwave before adding, helps clean every thing out even more. When I remember, I use it every month or so, to help keep the pipes clear. If you are able to do it in a dry sink, you can pour the baking soda into the actual drainpipe, and the reaction takes place there (where the buildup actually is).