4 Effective & Natural DIY Drain Cleaners

By Cris Carl, Hometalk

Having a clogged sink begs the old chestnut about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure. There are a lot of things that should never go down a drain, especially if you have a septic system. To avoid clogs to begin with, you have to avoid allowing food particles, grease, and hair from going down the drain. It’s helpful to have a small piece of wire mesh over your drains to catch food or hair particles. Just be sure to clean the mesh regularly or it will start to smell.

Now, for a dose of reality, no one is perfect. We have a lazy moment, or the kids are washing the dishes and aren’t paying attention, or we get too busy to notice all that hair in the tub. Sooner or later, you’ll end of with a clogged drain.

I have two drains that tend to clog more often in my house, the tub and the laundry sink. The tub drain gets clogged with hair and body care products. My washing machine drains via a plastic pipe into a laundry sink so fibers and lint build up in the drain.

The problem with commercial drain cleaners is they corrode pipes, are bad for septic systems, are toxic to ground water, and they can damage the materials that your sink or tub are made of. I recently had to change the drain and fixtures on my bathroom sink due to corrosion from commercial cleaners. After that experience, I decided to try non-toxic and far less corrosive methods for clearing pipes.

Before you try a DIY drain cleaner

It’s best to remember to use your DIY drain cleaners routinely before the clogs happen. When you are trying a DIY drain cleaner, it will likely take longer than a commercial drain cleaner. You also may need to repeat your efforts more than once. Many DIY drain cleaners will take up to an hour to work.

Just like in the Heimlich maneuver, look first to see if you can actually see the clog. It’s not a fun task, but put on your rubber gloves and dig the hair and goop out first. You may also want to try plunging the drain and running hot water alternately a couple of times. If the clog is minor, that may be all you need to do.

Baking soda, the top DIY drain cleaner

The most commonly used DIY drain cleaner is using one cup of baking soda and one cup of cider vinegar. The intense foaming action, followed by running plenty of hot water, is good routine maintenance. I have to admit I was surprised the first time I saw the drain pop open after trying this. The tub drain was still pretty slow, so I repeated the method.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Carol M.

7:32PM PDT on May 1, 2012

Thanks :)

send a green star

Michele W.

2:39AM PST on Mar 9, 2012

Thank you

Robin L.

6:13AM PST on Jan 12, 2012

It's always good to learn a new more natural way to clear up daily problems! Thanks :)

Andrea A.

10:35AM PST on Jan 11, 2012

Thanks.

Sheri P.

4:11PM PST on Dec 29, 2011

Thanks! Baking soda and vinegar is my solution of choice! It does work but it takes a couple of applications. It's SO MUCH BETTER than pouring poison down the drain! Cheaper too...

jennifer c.

11:14PM PST on Dec 6, 2011

i will definitely try one of these.

J. H.

7:30PM PST on Nov 25, 2011

I bought some washing soda for this; it's a little stronger than baking soda--not at all expensive, and if we buy it we're encouraging the manufacturers to keep making good old-fashioned products. Look for it with laundry products.

Nikhil V.

2:34AM PST on Nov 20, 2011

Great post

Erin S.

2:39PM PST on Nov 19, 2011

Interesting! Thanks so much!

Sumayah F.

5:50PM PST on Nov 15, 2011

Thanks, I didn't know about any of those mixtures.