Cleaning a blocked drain with baking soda and other natural products
We provide a step-by-step guide on cleaning your drain with baking soda and other natural products. Baking soda has become the not-so-secret ingredient when it comes to cleaning.
Why use baking soda to clean drains?
Baking soda is versatile when it comes to cleaning. It can be used as an all-purpose scrubber that is also effective on kitchen grease, a scouring agent or even as an oven cleaner.
What makes baking soda special is that this powdery substance can act as a powerful odour absorber as well as a mild abrasive. Often it works better than soap as it can easily dissolve dirt and grease.
How often should you clean your drain?
We recommend you clean your drains once a month as a precaution to prevent them from clogging up. You should also clean your drains whenever you notice that your water is starting to drain more slowly.
Maintaining your drain will save you from calling for professional help when matters get out of hand. On a weekly basis, you can flush your drains with hot water mixed with a bit of dish soap for regular maintenance.
Our step-by-step guide requires minimal effort and costs almost nothing.
Causes of blocked drains
Most people are unaware of how much stuff goes down the drain. Little hairs, hardened grease, dirt or small pieces of food when rinsing your plates and pans go down the drain into the plumbing passageway and get stuck there.
Small bits and pieces accumulate to create a bigger buildup. Little by little, the obstacle builds up to the point where the pipes start to clog and water cannot go down the drain as easily.
How effective is baking soda at cleaning drains?
Baking soda is an alkaline-based substance while vinegar is an acid-based substance. When we mix these two together we get a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide and water. This reaction forms a fizzy foam that breaks down the hardened grease, food particles and other obstacles that are clogging up your drain.
What you need to clean a drain
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Baking Soda |
Hot Water |
Wire Coat Hanger |
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Measuring Cup |
Funnel |
Plunger |
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Vinegar |
Sink Stopper |
Salt |
Step-by-step cleaning guide using baking soda and vinegar
- Use a plunger to remove water from your sink or tub.
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Remove anything you see clogging the drain. For this step, you can use a wire coat hanger to assist you.
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Heat up water (not to boiling point) and pour it down the drain. This cleans grease clogs
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Once the water drains, use a funnel to pour half a box (or 1/2 cup) of baking soda down the drain.
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Pour half a cup of white vinegar down the drain and then immediately seal it in with a sink stopper to let the pressure build.
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Unplug the sink an hour later.
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Heat up water (again not to boiling point) and pour it down the drain to rinse it out.
Step-by-step guide using baking soda and salt
As with the use of vinegar, combining salt with baking soda increases effectiveness. Salt disintegrates and softens the obstacles clogging your drain making them easier to remove.
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Use a funnel to pour half a box (or 1/2 cup) of baking soda down the drain.
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With the same funnel, pour salt down the drain.
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Let the mixture sit in the drain overnight.
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Pour 2 cups of hot water down the drain the following morning.
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Rinse the drain with hot tap water.
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Repeat the process as needed if you notice that the clog hasn’t been cleared up and the water is still draining slowly.
Tips on how to keep your drain clean
Here are a few more maintenance tips to keep your drain clean and clear for longer:
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Always use a sink strainer.
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Clean up any waste or debris from the sink strainer regularly.
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Do not pour any form of grease down the drain. When washing greasy pans, wipe them down with a paper towel before setting them in the sink.
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Regularly rinse your drain with hot water.
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