Drain Cleaning Tips and Tricks From a Local St. Louis Plumber
Dirty and clogged drains can be nagging. If you don’t clean and take care of your drains regularly then you could be facing a serious drainage problem in the near future. While some of these problems can be solved using some simple tips, you may have to contact a professional plumber to help with drain cleaning St. Louis if you suspect the problem is complex or have tried some of these methods but none of them seems to work. Regardless, always consider more natural ways to carry out the cleaning before you resort to chemicals that could harm your drainage system.
Baking soda and vinegar
This is one of the most common methods used at home. It has proven to be effective at cleaning and unclogging drains. Pouring 1/3 cup of each down the drain to allow them to mix while inside the drain can be quite effective at removing some of the dirt, debris, and materials blocking your drain. Once you pour this mix, leave it for about half an hour before pouring hot water to wash everything away. This mixture should be able to do the trick.
Hot/boiling water
This might look simple but is actually effective when it comes to removing oil and solid fat that sit along the drain pipe. Cooking oil and fat and the food we eat also contain dense substances that can solidify inside the drain pipe and cause clogging. However, with just a kettle or pot of boiling water, you can melt the fat away. Just pour the hot water down the drain a cup at a time to clear the clogging. However, be careful as some PVC pipes can be damaged by extreme heat.
Soda
This is surprising but it also works. Regular cola can be effective at clearing drains. Some people use it to clean oil stains in car garages while others clean battery cables with it. You can try it on your drains and find out whether it works, as it could be your favorite drain cleaning agent. It works the same way as vinegar and baking soda because it contains substances that attack the clog and break it apart.
Vacuum
Some clogs can be stubborn and may require you to use a plunger. Pushing air down the drain can help to push some of the dirt sitting along the pipes.
These drain cleaning tips and tricks can be tried at home before calling a professional plumber. Remember that some plumbing problems can be complex and you trying to fix them by yourself can only magnify them, especially if you have no background knowledge of and experience in plumbing. Don’t shy away from asking a professional plumber for help.