The kitchen and bathroom are the most used rooms in a home. Due to the daily use, they tend to accumulate a lot of dirt and foreign objects if people are not careful. Blocked drains are an annoying problem that can lead to flooding and create odours in your home. The following methods can help you clear blocked drains.
Natural processes
A range of natural products can help you clear pipes before turning to chemical products. One tried and tested method is the use of baking soda. Pouring baking soda down the drain followed by boiling water helps dismantle any clogs in the plumbing system. You will notice a fizzling reaction, and this is entirely normal. After the fizzling stops, you can pour more boiling water down the drain. An alternative is to mix baking soda with vinegar to function as a clearing solution. You should perform this process once a month to ensure that your pipes remain unclogged.
Mechanical methods
Mechanical methods of clearing blocked drains include use of equipment such as bent hangers, plungers or drain snakes. If you do not have a drain snake, you can straighten a wire hanger and form a hook at one end. You should then push the rod inside the drain and start fishing for any items that may be blocking the drain. Usually, the wire will latch onto products such as hair and foreign objects. When there are no more items, you can pour hot water to clear up the remaining blockage.
A plunger, on the other hand, creates a vacuum to unclog drains. You may use a traditional plunger or make use of a wet vacuum if you have one. A wet vacuum has sufficient power to pull the clog up the pipe and deposit it into the vacuum bag. Note that this method is not always successful.
Cleaning the pipe
In this clearing method, you should have a few necessary tools, such as a wrench and a bucket. To unclog drains in kitchen sinks, you sometimes have to open up the pipe beneath the sink. A wrench will loosen bolts on the drainpipe, which allows you to access the tube. Once the pipe is free, you should remove any blockages or debris present by using your hands or a wire. Have a bucket ready beneath the drainpipe to collect these contents. Finally, you should rinse the pipe with water and reassemble the parts.
