Wish you could clear a clogged sink or tub without calling a
plumber? Well read on to learn a simple tip that could save you the money
involved in calling a plumber to come clear the stoppage.
Don’t you often wish you had a trusted plumber to answer
your questions? We all worry about being taken advantage of during our services
calls and in the back of your mind, you wonder if there wasn’t something that
you could have done yourself if you just had a little push in the right
direction. Today, I am going to give you a tip that may come in handy some day
when you have a clogged sink or tub drain. Being a professional plumber and
getting to meet so many people every day, it seems that every other day I get
asked “how can I clear a clogged drain by myself?” While it takes a
little effort to try, the following tip could just save you a bunch of money.
While there will always be some stoppages caused by objects
that don’t belong in your drain lines like toys or tree roots that will require
the tools and skills of a plumber, there are many times when you can clear the
clog by yourself. So, why not give it a try and then, if needed, call a
plumber. You really do not have anything to lose but some time and a little
effort. Bearing in mind of course that for stoppages that are deep within your
plumbing system, a professional plumber with a snake will probably be required
to clear the clog for you.
This tip to clear your clogged drain involves the use of
boiling hot water. Be very careful when you attempt this in order to avoid
burning yourself or someone else! The first thing to try is boiling water and
baking soda. Boil some water in a pot on the stove and try to make it a fairly
large one. Once the water in the pot has come to a boil, you should pour 2 cups
of baking soda down the drain that is running slowly and then get the pot of
boiling water and pour the water down the drain. However, if you do not have
enough room in the sink or tub for the extra water due to your clog, do not
attempt this tip as the boiling water will have nowhere to go and spill all
over your floor!
As a slight variation to this tip, you can try this
technique by using Vinegar and baking soda. In this case, you would use a cup
of vinegar and a cup of baking soda instead of the two cups of baking soda.
Again keep in mind that, if you do not have ample room for the extra hot water from
your pot due to standing water resulting from the clog, do not try this tip as
you will cause flooding on your floor. But if you do have the room for the hot
water, pour it into your sink of tub and let the hot water sit for about 15 to
20 minutes and then try using a plunger to push the loosened clog down the
drain.
These are two of the most commonly recommended approaches
for the do-it-yourself home repair guy for loosening and clearing a clogged
drain. It might just clear the problem for you. The tip costs almost nothing
but a little bit of time on your part to try it out for yourself. But if you
give this a try and it doesn’t successfully clear your clogged sink or tub, or
if the clog keeps recurring
, then you really do need to call a professional
plumber to clear the clog for you. A
professional plumber will use a snake that can reach up to 200 feet or more and
remove all kinds of debris from your drain lines.Â