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Residential • Rural • Remodel

Our Experience is Your Guarantee

Simple Ways to Clear Your Drain

April 20, 2017 0 Comments

Your drain is clogged. What next? In this blog, the Fort Collins plumbing experts at Ace HI will give you an overview of the most effective drain clearing methods, as well as methods to avoid.  

The Coat Hanger

Wire coat hangers aren’t just useful when you’ve locked yourself out of your car—they can be a great tool for removing nasty hair clogs from your drain as well. Just straighten out a wire hanger, fashion one end like a fishing hook, stick it down your drain, and pull out the gnarly clog. But beware—clogs may look (and smell) gnarlier than you’d expect.

Baking Soda & Vinegar

Some people would rather not unearth clogs from the depths of the drain, mainly because they can be pretty disgusting and smelly. If this sounds like you, try flushing your clog down instead of pulling it out using a baking soda and vinegar solution. First, boil some water in a pot and pour it slowly down your drain—and save a little water for later. Next, add a half-cup of baking soda to your drain and let it sit for five minutes. Then, mix one cup of vinegar into your leftover hot water and pour it down the drain. Enjoy the fun fizzing that will occur in your drain for about 20 minutes. Finally, boil one more pot of boiling water down your drain to clean things out for good.

This is a tactic saved for partial clogs, as full-scale clogs might need a stronger solution to be knocked loose. But for those who desire a drain-cleaning solution without any toxic chemicals, this is the method of choice.

Wet-Dry Vacuum

Some drain clog removal methods suck more than others—which is why a wet-dry vacuum can be a useful method for removing clogs close to the surface of your drain. Just run some hot water down your drain for a few minutes to loosen things up, then let your vacuum do the rest.

A Word About Drano

Drano is one of the most common household remedies for clogged drains, and it does work, for the most part. However, there are many concerns about Drano’s effects on plumbing systems and the environment.

Drano and similar cleaning products contain high levels of toxins like lye, which can run through your sewer system and leach into rivers, make contact with plants, and permeate the groundwater table. These toxic chemicals can also hurt wildlife as well.

The damage doesn’t stop there—Drano can also damage the pipes of your home. Drano essentially eats through clogs in your drain, but it can also eat through old pipes, leading to leaks and structural plumbing damage.

Finally, products like Drano are extremely toxic, and can cause serious health consequences if they are ingested or spilled onto the skin. If you do use Drano, be sure sure to keep it out of reach from children and pets, and wear protective gear to keep chemicals from coming in contact with your skin, eyes, or mouth.

While Drano is effective, there are many drain cleaning methods that are more effective and safer for the environment. We’d recommend you avoid Drano, and either use more natural methods or call in the professionals for the best drain-clearing experience.

A Drain-Clearing Professional

Need your drain unclogged? This is, by far, the easiest and quickest way to make it happen. The drain cleaning professionals at Ace Hi are happy to root out any clog that makes a home in your drain, and with decades of experiences, there’s not a single clog we can’t conquer. Call us to clear your drain today!

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