A clogged drain can easily ruin your day. That’s why Goodbee Plumbing and Drains is here to offer you the top clogged drain solutions. Drains are the most important part of your plumbing system and when one gets backed up, it can be disastrous. Greasy water in your kitchen sink, or dirty water in your bathtub, is not pretty and can be really distressing to see in your home.

Kitchen drains and bathroom drains are the most common drains that see clogs. These drains see soap scum, food, toothpaste, hair, and other drain clogging materials daily. When you get a clogged drain, it can be very frustrating and something you want to resolve quickly. 

What Causes Clogged Drains

The most common reasons your drain is clogged include food and substances that should not have gone down the drain are stuck, such as eggshells and grease, hair, excessive amounts of toilet paper being flushed, or flushing things that don’t belong down the drain. If you don’t clean these clogs and allow them to build over, you can attract pests like drain flies, so it’s best to fix the clogs as soon as possible.

Clogged drains are a common household nuisance in various parts of your plumbing system. The top issues that cause clogged drains include but are not limited to the following: 

• Foreign Objects: One of the most common culprits is foreign objects such as hairpins, jewelry, toys, or even food particles. Over time, these accumulate and create obstructions. 
• Hair and Soap Scum: In bathroom drains, a combination of hair and soap scum is a frequent cause of blockages. As hair goes down the drain, it can become entangled with soap residue and other debris, forming a stick mass that slows down drainage. 
• Grease and Food Waste: Grease particles are the culprits behind clogged drains. For example, when hot cooking oil or grease is poured down the kitchen sink, it can solidify as it cools, adhering to the interior of the pipes and trapping food remnants. Over time, this can restrict water flow and lead to clogs. 
• Toilet Paper and Hygiene Products: Excessive toilet paper use or flushing items like wet wipes, sanitary products, or cotton balls can cause blockages that won’t break down easily in water. 
• Tree Roots: Invasive tree roots can penetrate and block pipes, leading to blockages and pipe damage.

Top 11 Clogged Drain Solutions

When it comes to unclogging your drain, there are hundreds of different products claiming to be the best at unclogging your drain. Some of these products are helpful at unclogging drains, but others just cause damage to your pipes and make your clogs even worse. Here are the 4 top clogged drain solutions experts recommend.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar are a natural top clogged drain solution. If you plan to use vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain you should pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down your drain and 1/2 cup vinegar, plug the drain and then let that sit for one hour. After the hour is up, pour a pot of boiling water down the drain. This should help clear the clog but you should repeat if the clog persists. This drain cleaning solution works well and is better than chemical alternatives in the store that are likely to damage your pipes. This solution is also cheaper than leading brand-name top clogged drain solutions. 

Baking Soda and Salt  

Baking soda and salt work similarly to baking soda and vinegar. Again, combine a 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of salt. Let this sit in the drain for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight and then pour hot water down the drain. Repeat this process if necessary. Be sure to adhere to the time limits as leaving it for too long may result in problems with your pipes. This natural solution is a great alternative to chemical cleaners that can be harmful to your family and the environment. 

Plunging 

Plunging works best on a clogged kitchen drain rather than a bathroom sink drain. Kitchen sinks often see grease, leftover food particles, and soap scum buildup. Kitchen sink drains often have a curve that food and buildup will get stuck in. A plunger can help push the blockage further down the pipe and clear the clog. When plunging, clear the sink of all dishes and rags and then fill the sink halfway with warm water. Once this is done, begin to plunge the drain, a rubber plunger works best for this. If the clog is severe this may not work and you should call Goodbee Plumbing and Drains. 

Snaking 

If a plunger doesn’t work, you can try to snake your own drain. Drain snakes come in a variety of lengths and types.  Many sink clogs can be cleared with a 25-50 foot drain snake. If the clog is in a shower/bathtub drain, you first want to remove the tub stopper and remove any hair that may be caught in the cross-section of the tub drain. If that doesn’t help your clogged drain, there’s likely a larger clog further into the drain. To snake a tub drain, it’s recommended that you use a standard drain snake with a 1/4- or 5/16-inch cable. Larger, thicker snakes may be hard to navigate around the curves of the pipes. Snaking your clogged drains can be difficult and when in doubt just call Goodbee Plumbing. 

Dish Soap and Hot Water

This method is stuff you already have on hand, making it a great way to unclog your drain. All you need to do is boil about two liters of water and mix in a few tablespoons of your liquid dish soap. Once you combine the two, slowly pour them down the sink. This method might take a few tries to see the results. If you have a grease clog, for example, this combination will heat the grease up into a liquid and move it down the drain removing the clog. 

Salt, Borax, and Vinegar

Another method you can try is to combine 1/4 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of Borax, and 1/2 cup of vinegar in a pot of boiling water. Once you mix everything together, pour it down the drain, and let it sit for a least an hour. Once an hour has passed, rinse with hot tap water. 

Wire Coat Hanger

If you have tried a few different methods to unclog your drain and haven’t fixed the issue, go on over to your closet and grab a wire coat hanger. First, be sure to straighten out the hanger but leave the hook! Next, grab a plastic bag to throw away your findings. 

What you need to do is put the hook end of the hanger down your drain and move it around to grab any food or hair buildup that is clogging the drain. Once you pull the hanger out and remove what you find, run hot water down the drain to remove anything that remains. When using this method, be sure to be gentle to avoid causing further issues. 

Wet/Dry Vacuum

If you have access to a wet/dry vacuum, it can be a powerful tool for removing stubborn clogs. Set the vacuum to the wet mode, create a seal over the drain, and apply suction to pull out the blockage.

Hydro Jetting

Hydro jetting is a powerful method professional plumbers use to clean tough drain clogs. It involves using high-pressure water jets to break up and flush away debris and blockages. Hydro jetting effectively removes grease buildup, tree roots, and stubborn clogs deep within the plumbing system.

Chemical-Free Drain Sticks

Chemical-free drain sticks or drain cleaning sticks are long, flexible rods that you can insert in your drain. The sticks will slowly release enzymes to break down organic matter and prevent clogs from forming over time. These sticks are a proactive approach that is also eco-friendly and easy to use!

Regular Maintenance

Preventative measures go a long way in preventing clogs in your drains. Consider scheduling regular plumbing inspections with a team of professionals like those at Goodbee Plumbing to ensure your pipes remain clean and free from debris, and in the case there is something wrong, you can fix it before the problem worsens.

Reasons to Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners are a popular option people turn to when it comes to unclogging their drains. Though this option is convenient, it’s not the best choice when trying to clear a clogged drain. Chemical drain cleaners can corrode your pipes, cause holes to form in your pipes, and can even make your septic tanks less effective over time since they kill the natural bacteria found in the tank. Some of the chemical drain cleaners won’t even remove clogs and will only worsen your plumbing. Even if your pipes are made of strong materials, the more you use the chemical cleaners, the more they will eat away at your pipes until there’s irreparable damage.

In addition to that, chemical drain cleaners are bad for the environment. The harmful chemicals end up in landfills and groundwater causing contamination. Small birds and other animals become infected from drinking the toxic water which affects the ecosystem. This toxic water can also end up in your home and infect your drinking water. 

Chemical drain cleaners can also damage your pipes and septic systems. The chemicals in these cleaners are essentially made to eat through everything that includes your pipes. Even if your pipes are made of strong materials, the more you use the chemical cleaners, the more they will eat away at your pipes until there’s irreparable damage. 

As well as the previous negative effects of chemical cleaners, these cleaners can also be very dangerous to use. These cleaners often have toxic fumes and can cause serious burns if they touch your skin. Depending on the surface of your tub, you could also ruin the surface of it, if the cleaner is spilled. 

Instead of relying on chemical drain cleaners, try a natural method, and if you are still having trouble, call the experts at Goodbee Plumbing, and we will get you the best results without damaging your pipes or septic tank.

Choose Goodbee Plumbing As Your Top Clogged Drain Solution

Many claim to be the top clogged drain solutions but really, natural solutions are the way to go when trying to clear a clogged drain. They are overall better for your health, your pipes, and the environment. Whether you choose to use natural top clogged drain solutions or chemical cleaners, these are only temporary solutions. For a permanent solution, you need Goodbee Plumbing and Drains. 

Goodbee Plumbing offers top clogged drain solutions, as well as any other plumbing services you may need and expert tips such as how to fix a clogged toilet. Our team takes pride in providing affordable plumbing services for all of our service areas. If you find you have a clogged drain, a lot of the time we can provide you with same-day service. Give us a buzz whenever you need us, Goodbee Plumbing and Drains is here to be your top clogged drain solution!