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How to Fix a Drain

By September 15, 2015August 21st, 2020No Comments
water draining in a stainless steel sink

3 Quick Ways to Fix a Nasty Clogged Drain

It starts innocently enough. You finish washing the dishes or bathing the children, and then you pull the plug and wait for the water to drain before moving on to the next thing on your to-do list.

But then the water doesn’t go anywhere. Uh-oh! You have a clogged drain on your hands. Before you pick up the phone, try these three quick ways to fix a clogged drain without a Kelowna Plumber first.

Vinegar Can Clear a Clogged Drain

Is there anything vinegar can’t do? From cleaning kitchen counters to making salads taste delicious, vinegar really is an all-purpose wonder. In fact, when mixed with a little baking soda, vinegar can even clear a mildly clogged drain.

First, sprinkle the baking soda into the drain, then add vinegar and give it about half an hour before running the hot water. This may be all you need to do to remove a simple clog.

Taking the Plunge

A plunger can help remove simple clogs in kitchen or bathroom drains, but it’s important to do it correctly. First of all, if the tub or sink is full, save yourself some time cleaning up by bailing out some – but not all – of the water. Once that’s done, make sure you have a tight seal around the drain before using a straight, rhythmic, up and down motion of the plunger.

Don’t wear yourself out with a marathon session. If it’s going to work, plunging will usually do the trick in a few minutes.

Watch out for Traps!

Grease and hair are common causes of clogged drains, but we’ve found all sorts of mystery objects in the pipes in our day. Quite often, just removing the sink trap gives enough room to remove whatever is clogging the drain. If you’re handy with a pipe wrench, you may be able to clear even a big clog with this simple, DIY step.

All three of these methods may help to remove a simple clog and save you a call to the plumber. But don’t wait forever! For a more serious clog, you need to call in professional plumbing services. If you’re the Kelowna area, you can reach us at (250) 681-0089.