Drainage systems are an essential component in every home. They are the elements that help you to get rid of waste from the kitchen sink and toiletry system. While you strive to keep it flowing, they will clog at one point. The first step when this happens is to contact a plumber to help you out.
Unclogging drainage is not always a huge task and may not require you to hire a plumber, as you can do it yourself. Maybe you are asking how is this possible. Here are a couple of easy steps for fixing clogging issues in your drain systems:
Identify the clogging area or part
Clogging occurs in different parts of your drainage system. Your bathroom can experience a clog. The kitchen sinks the same, or the manholes of your system can experience clogging issues. You will notice a clog on any part of the system due to an awful smell, backflow of water, or spilling of the sewer.
When you notice any of these issues in your drainage system, you need to assess the clogged area. A blocked sink pipe will lead to clogging in your kitchen. The benefit of identifying the clogging area is that you will know the perfect ways to resolve the problem.
As you know, some issues can call for replacing your drainage pipes. So, the starting point in fixing the clogging problem is identifying the source.
Pick the best fix method aligning with the clogged area
With the information on the source of the clogging problem, now it is time to pick the best fixing options. Each option will work best in unclogging a certain area and won’t work in another. So, here are ways of fixing draining issues in various parts of the system:
Unclogging the kitchen sink and drain
The kitchen is one of the areas that will experience clogging issues. As you wash your dishes, the oils and fat form a greasy element once they flow into the drain. This greasy element traps the food particles. The trapped particles build up and create a wall that hinders the flow of the water down to the sewer and drainage system. The result is the clogging of your sinks.
The clogged sink poses health risks to your family. So it is essential to fix the issue as soon as possible. Here are some simple unclogging procedures you can use:
Pouring hot water down the sink
No doubt, oily and greasy elements melt when exposed to heat. This idea is the principle behind using hot water for unclogging the sink. The hot water will melt the greasy elements allowing a resumption of the drainage flow. So, boil some water using your kettle or pot. Pour the water directly into the sink drain. You can repeat the process until the flow resumes.
Use a combination of baking soda and vinegar
When you mix baking soda and vinegar, the two elements have a reaction that is crucial in unclogging your sink drain. All you need is to ensure no water is flowing. Then, pour one to three cups of baking soda, depending on the size and nature of the clog. Add the same amount of white vinegar. Remember to pour this substance directly into the drain.
When done, you will notice a fizzing sound as the elements reach each other. Wait for about 15-20 minutes once the sound dies out. Now, flush the water on the sink to check whether you have resolved the issue or not.
Notably, consider using some hot water. Also, you can opt for salt and baking soda if you have no access to white vinegar. However, the salt-soda mixture will require you to wait for several hours before flushing. Sometimes, the P-trap might be the one causing the clogging issue. You can fix the issue by removing the element, cleaning it, and reinstalling it back to its position.
How to unclog your bathroom/shower
The bathroom is another place where the clogging issue is prevalent. As you know, clogging occurs due to the presence of debris and foreign elements going down the drain. The shower offers an opening for the entry of such elements.
Hairs and small pieces of bathing soap will find their way to the shower drain and clog it. Here are some ways to unclog your bathroom drain without requiring a plumber:
Snaking
Snaking involves inserting a simple tool known as a drain snake in the drain system. The tool has some teeth-like elements – usually a coiled splurge on one end. When you insert it, it works against the clogging elements such as debris and hair. This aspect breaks their attachment to the pipe walls and drives them away. Snaking is not a huge process to perform.
The first step is getting the snaking tool. Next, ensure you have the right wear. You cannot avoid dirt during the snaking process. For this reason, be in clothes that you are comfortable with if they become dirty. Now, push your drain snake into the clogged pipe. Do this in a steady and slow motion. Never perform snaking in a hurry, as you are likely to break the pipe.
Also, you need to rotate your snake to clean up all the sides of the drainage pipe. When you notice some resistance, you are likely hitting a blockage. This aspect is what you need to deal with to allow the resumption of the drainage flow. So, here you need to do some stirring-like activity until you break the resistance. Once done, flush out the drainage and clean your snaking tool.
Use drain-clearing products
At times, soap scums are the source of clogging in your shower room. Such an issue is hard to resolve through snaking. Also, snaking might be a huge task for you and leave the issue unresolved.
Here is where you need to use drain-clearing products. These products help in dealing with soap scum and guarantee perfect results. So, before turning to snaking, you can try these processes for your birth room.
Keeping your home free from clogging issues
Clogging occurs at times. But it is possible to prevent them in your home. You can keep your house and backyard free from clogging issues. Here are some of the things you need to do:
Avoid greasy and oily elements in your kitchen sink
For you to eliminate the clogging issue in your sink. You need to come up with ways of handling greasy garbage. You can opt to dispose of them in your dustbin or other places. Otherwise, if you have no alternative, always ensure you follow it with hot water. This way, you will prevent the greasy element from solidifying along the kitchen sink drain pipes.
Consider a strainer or drain cover
No doubt, debris like hair and soap scum will find their way to the shower drain. It will help you deal with such garbage in your bathroom. However, the result will be a clogged drain. The best way to deal with these elements is by having a strainer on your bathroom drain. The strainer will sieve all hairs and foreign elements, saving you from unnecessary clogging issues.
Wrapping up
In a word, clogging is a common issue and hard to avoid in your home. The good thing is you can fix it yourself. Some clogging issues, like ones in your kitchen or bathroom, will not require you to work with a plumber. However, if they are huge or you lack the right tools, like the drain snake, contacting a plumber is not a bad idea.
Otherwise, using basic materials like hot water, vinegar, and baking soda will work effectively for you. You do not need to spend much on fixing basic clogging issues. So, consider applying the steps above.
