Most Common Tips to Clear Blocked Drainage

Do you know about the warning signs of a blocked drainage system?: sink takes longer to drain, water is pooling around your bathroom floor when you shower, and strange, unpleasant odors from your kitchen and bathroom. If you are experiencing these signs, you will surely have a clogged drainage system. This is something that must be dealt with quickly. Otherwise, your pipe can snap or burst, creating a huge mess later.

Tips To Clear Blocked Drainage

You may have tried all possible ways to clear that nasty blocked drain. Some try removing the gunk and excess hair built up on the surface of the drain. While some others try flushing baking soda and vinegar too. If it is a serious drain blockage, these methods may not work. So, don’t lose hope. Before contacting that expensive emergency plumber, here are the 10 most common tips and tricks to clear blocked drainage.

Try the plunger

A plunger is used to ease the blockage and help it clear out. The plunger has a rubber cup affixed to a stick. It is designed in a manner that perfectly fits the drain’s opening. Its basic principle is suction created by pushing and pulling the cup quickly. Because of the suction, the clogged and stuck material will break apart, then you can rinse the area and clean it with soap water. This method is easy, and it can effectively clean the clog. It is also safe for the environment and harmless to use.

Drain unblocker chemicals

They depend on strong acid or alkali to react with the liquid and break it down. After breaking down the strong particles, it dissolves the clog and releases heat while reacting with water. These chemicals are strong and should be used only after taking all precautions. Some of the chemicals are- 

• Buster Bathroom Plughole Unblocker – Best drain unblocker for hair-clogged baths and showers
• HG Duo Unblocker – Best drain unblocker for Strongest
• Kilrock Rhino Drain Unblocker – Best for Highly Effective

Bent Wire Hanger

This sounds simple, but it is surprisingly effective. As best as you can, straighten your regular wire coat hanger. Then, create a small hook by bending one end over. Then, start fishing by pushing it past the drain cover. That way, you will be able to get all sorts of nasty junk and hair out of the drain. The goal here is to pull all the gunk out and not push it further. Run the hot water after getting as much junk as possible, so it clears things up nicely.

Wet & Dry Vacuum

Another great tool to unclog drains is by using a wet & dry shop vacuum. The first thing to do is set it to vacuum liquids and cover up the vent to prevent a mess. Next is to create the tightest seal possible over the drain. You can get creative with this, such as adapting an old plunger head for this purpose. Finally, turn the vacuum on its highest setting, so it is powerful enough to draw the clog up the pipe and into the vacuum bag. Although it doesn’t always work, it is worth the shot.

Boiling Water

Here’s another easy way to deal with this:

1. Boil up as much water as you can with the kettle. You may use a stove or microwave to boil water if you don’t have one.
2. Pour the boiling water down the drain in two to three rounds, allowing as much hot water to work for a few seconds in between each pour. This trick is usually the quickest and easiest way to unclog drains.
3. If there’s any hot water left, make yourself a cup of coffee or tea.

Cleaning the Pipe

This job is easy and doesn’t require you to ask for help from plumbers. First, put an empty bucket underneath the U-shaped pipe below the sink. That bucket will collect the water and junk that will spill. Next, take a plumber’s wrench, and loosen the slip nuts at both ends of the pipe. You can do this operation by hand.

After freeing the trap, remove it and turn it upside down, emptying all contents into the bucket. You may also fish around inside it for debris if necessary. Next, do the same job for the pipes that were holding it. You can also use an old toothbrush to get tough junk out. Then, rinse it with water and put it all back together. This will usually do the trick.

Drain Snake

This piece of equipment is fairly low-tech and works wonders to block drainage. It is a long flexible metal rope with a spiral metal at the end. A drain snake is a slim, easy to bend cable that can be inserted into the mouth of the drain’s opening. The cable then breaks the hard particles that were accumulated and causes clogging. The nature and degree of clog will determine which type of drain snake you will need.

Washing up liquid

You can use other options to clear blocked drains that are enzymatic or biological cleaners that use natural bacteria to remove clogs. This trick works best in a clogged toilet. Just pour ¼ cup of dish detergent into the bowl while boiling some water on the side. The dish detergent will act as a lubricant and aid in breaking up any greasy residue. Next, pour hot water down and start plunging. If the plunger doesn’t work, rubber gloves are your next option.