How to unclog your drains
Posted on avril 23, 2013 by Frank
The bathroom is a place that we use every day to wash ourselves. It sees many debris throughout a day: hair, soap scum, toothpaste and much more. Home owners, even though they may clean their floors every week and wash the toilet pretty often, will rarely think about cleaning their drains. Even though it does not need to be done so regularly, it should not be neglected!
Sometimes, however, it is too late and you need to do something to unclog what is now stuck in your drains. Even though some people will prefer to contact professionals, there is a way to do it yourself.
First step: clearing the debris under the drain cover
After removing the drain cover, you’ll be able to remove some hair debris. If you spot some soap residues around, you can use white vinegar and a toothbrush to remove it. If you are unable to remove that stopper, the least to do is to get a small brush and to clean around it as much as possible. You can then put the stopper back.
Second step: remove deeper clogs with a coat hanger
By using a straightened coat hanger, it is possible to remove most clogs from your drains. You can either push the clog (which could cause you more problems, though) or try to pull it. You’ll have to make a small hook at the end of the straightened hanger in order to have a better grasp on the clog.
Third step: using the plunger
The plunger is also a pretty strong way to unclog your drains by using suction. Before, you might want to take a kettle of hot water (NOT boiling water, as it could do some serious damage) and pour it into your drain. Then, wait from 10 to 15 minutes.
After, fill your bathtub or your sink with enough water to cover the head of your plunger. When this is done, rapidly pump 5 to 6 times and then remove the plunger fast. You might have to repeat this a few times in order to pull the debris forward. Once this is done, throw what you removed in the garbage and flush the remaining debris with hot water.
Fourth step: unblocking the sink trap
If you still didn’t succeed to remove the clog in your drain, do not despair yet. It probably means that the clog is situated in the sink trap. First, you should place a bucket under the sink and unscrew the cleaning plug, which most sinks should normally have. After unscrewing that plug, it should be pretty easy to simply remove all the debris.
If this still does not work, you’ll probably have to consider calling a plumber to solve your problem!
General maintenance tips
To stop clogs from coming back, you’ll have to put some efforts in periodically doing some basic maintenance. Each month, for example, you should pour into it a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Even though it is easy to get rid of contact lenses or food remains in the sink, you should avoid this as all costs as these are major reasons that cause your drains to clog. Finally, instead of using regular caustic cleaners for heavy duty jobs, you might want to go with some Coca Cola before!
About the author
PierDeco Design is a major retailer in Canada selling bathroom vanities.