http://www.care2.com/greenliving/unclogging-drains-without-toxins.html
Unclogging Drains without Toxins
Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of homeowners more than a clogged drain, besides maybe day-old scrambled eggs caked on a stainless steel frying pan.
Our bathroom sink was backing up a few weeks ago. Like all men, I ignored it. My wife also ignored it. She ignored it better than I did, so I took it upon myself to fix it. It had been a while since I had to deal with a clogged drain, so I evaluated my options.
Option 1: Call in the plunger
This method doesn’t use any toxic chemicals, but it does require elbow grease. The plunger is often more effective than chemical drain cleaners. The trick involves filling the sink with water so the lip on the plunger is submerged. This way you will be forcing water down the drain rather than air.
Option 2: Call in the enzymes
There are commercially available enzymatic drain cleaners. These are much safer than chemical drain cleaners. I have heard these types of cleaners work really well to prevent clogs, but may not be the best choice to unclog a drain.
Option 3: DIY
Make your own drain cleaner. I’ve seen several homemade drain cleaner “recipes.” A common one is a handful of baking soda mixed with a half cup of vinegar followed by a cup or more of boiling water. Learn more about this method here.
Option 4: Get the tools
Use a tool to either pull the clog out or break it up and push it down the drain. One option is a tool like the “Zip-It,” which is just a narrow piece of plastic with barbs on it. You feed it down the drain and pull it back up, hopefully bringing the clog up with it. You can also use a plumber’s snake, but these can cause an injury if used improperly. If you need to use a plumber’s snake, it might be time for Option 6.
Option 5: Call in the plumber
This might be the most expensive option, but it is bound to fix the problem–for a small pile of cash.
So what did I do? I decided to try mechanical methods first. If that didn’t work, I would opt for enzymatic cleaners. It turned out to be a pretty easy fix. I pulled out the drain plug. It was coated with a totally disgusting conglomeration of hair, soap, grease and general yuckiness. Fortunately however, cleaning the plug was all it took to unclog the drain.
Andrew Peterson is a Certified Industrial Hygienist with over 10 years of experience working in the environmental and occupational health field. In addition to writing, he is currently the Environment, Health and Safety Manager for a medium-sized company that has been voted one of Fortune Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of CRO Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens. He lives in California with his wife and adopted pound puppies.
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13 comments
add your comment »I like those hair stopper things, too. Why not keep long hair out of the pipes in the first place instead of fishing it out with the zip tool later? Of course, I've noticed that some always escapes and I end up "zipping" eventually, but not nearly as often. Gotta try that washing soda idea, though.
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That "Zip-It" tool sounds (from what you described) and also "looks" (from what I saw at the store) really neat.
Looks great for bathroom drains, particularly showers, especially with the hair build up ;)
BUT, since my last drain clog fiasco (Baking soda, Vinegar, and Steaming/Boiling hot water cleared it out lol - no I didn't do any measuring or specifics, but I think I may have used a half gallon of vinegar....lol) I've invested (yes, $1.50 or so....lol) in a "hairstopper" - I found it hanging down the cleaning aisle at walmart (they also sell it, and other "strainer" products in the hardware/plumbing aisle though) and it seems to be working alright.
The only problem....is cleaning all of that hair off of that "durable" plastic (almost like rubber...) strainer.
But so far, I'm happy with it. I know some people don't like plastics, but it seems to be doing it's job, for the 1.50 or so I paid, I may just toss it in the garbage when it's "full" of hair lol.
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washing soda and vinegar is the best combination, and it works great for me.
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Oops, sent to soon. Followed with lots of hot water.
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I've found that washing soda and vinegar work better than plain baking soda and vinegar.
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A cup or so of boiling water does the job most of the time for kitchen sinks. Not sure for bathroom drains clugged with hair..
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vinegar and baking soda are my go to in the kitchen. in the bathroom i have a zip it. works great. my hair is down to my hips and my husband has had long hair in the past as well, best thing for hair clogs, bit messy but works like a charm.
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Had a problem with a bath tub drain that was draining very slowly--take a shower and there would still be water in the tub 15 minutes later. Enzymes didn't work. What finally helped was first using a plunger, then pouring a 2 liter bottle of coca-cola down the drain. Let set for 48-hours. Then lots of hot water, followed by more plunging. That drain hasn't worked that well in years. I guess it depends on what the clog is made of as to which product is most effective. The acid in coca-cola dissolves paint, but is nowhere near as harmful as commercial drain cleaners.
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When my bathroom sink was clogged, I turned off the water and unscrewed the trap under the sink. That's where all the gunk was, and it solved the problem. Just be sure to put a bucket underneath! A little work but no chemicals.
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I had a bad clog in the kitchen drain right after moving into a new place. All the plumbing is on the outside of my old house, so I looked outside below the area of the sink and found a place in the pipe where a big rubber plug unscrewed. Experimenting, I determined the stoppage was in the part of the pipe that ran from this hole along the pipe under the house. A rake handle didn't reach it, so I turned the hose on full pressure, stuck it in the pipe and jabbed with it. The hose kep going in farther and some amazing yucky, off-white, honeycomb matter came out in big pieces that had been lining the pipe. It had a soapy feel (grease and detergent?) and stunk to high heaven. I kept at it until no more pieces came out and have had not any trouble since. I hope this works for somebody else in the same pinch.
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