Cleaning-Drain

How to Clean Your Drains Without Harsh Chemicals

Green living may have been a fad for awhile now, but unlike fidget spinners or planking, green living isn’t fading away any time soon. There are too many genuine benefits that come with living a green life. Green living is cost-effective because it involves using and reusing things you already have in new ways. It’s environmentally friendly because it focuses more on using natural resources instead of harsh, chemical ones. It’s better for the health of the planet because, the more people live green, the less pollution and waste are produced. Pretty great, huh?

Having a green home goes beyond solar panels and composting, however. There are ways to greenify everything, including the way you clean your home’s drains. Below we’ve listed a series of natural, chemical-free drain cleaning solutions. These are easy-to-accomplish, accessible to everyone, and they totally work!

Use a plunger.

Most people know how to use a plunger, but just in case: put a cup plunger over the clogged drain in question. Fill the sink halfway with some warm water, create a seal around the drain with your rubber plunger, and go to town. Follow the plunging with a hot water rinse and hope that the air movement from the plunger dislodges whatever’s causing the clog.

Use a wire hook.

First, you’re going to need a long piece of wire. The easiest way to get the sort of tool we’re talking about is to unfold a wire coat hanger until it’s a long, singular piece. Remove the drain cap and insert the hook.

Pull the hook up and down to hopefully dislodge any debris that’s causing a clog in the drain. This works best on clogs called by small items stuck in drains, helping them to pass. Be careful not to scrape too hard, or you could damage your drain!

Use a combination of dish soap and hot water.

Heat approximately two liters of water and then proceed to stir in a couple tablespoons of liquid dish detergent. Take it off the heat, wait a minute, and then pour the hot water down the drain. Make sure the water isn’t actually boiling.

Follow that water down with hot running tap water. This works best on kitchen drains with grease-based clogs. The hot water melts the grease and the detergent helps to dissolve any left behind fat.

Use a combination of salt and hot water.

Take a half cup of salt and pour it down the drain. Follow it by approximately two liters of hot (not boiling) water. Repeat as necessary until the drain stops being slow.

 

This works on grease and soap clogs by melting some of the grease while the salt’s abrasiveness scours.

If, despite trying all of these natural methods, you’re still having trouble with clogging drains – don’t worry! Call the pros at Blue Ox Heating & Air and we’ll work with our trusted partners at Paul Bunyan Plumbing & Drains to get your drains cleared without causing you (or the environment) any added trouble.

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