We all know that chemical drain clearing agents such as Dran-o and Liquid Plumr can be seriously bad for your health if breathed, spilled on your skin, or even swallowed. To make matters worse, these highly toxic chemicals leak into the environment when flushed down the drain.
Here are some safe and green solutions to helping keep drains clog-free, and unclogging them:
Weekly preventative solution
Mix 1 cup (250 ml) baking soda and 1 cup (250 ml) salt. Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of this mixture into the drain. Follow this by pouring in a pot of boiling water, followed again with a flush of cold water. Do this once a week. Also sprinkle baking soda on and around drains to keep them odor free. You should notice a big difference in fewer clogged drains and reduced odors.
Clogged drains
Pour in 1/4 cup (60 ml) baking soda followed by 1/2 cup (125 ml) vinegar. Close the drain until the fizzing stops and flush with boiling water. If this does not work, you can try a plumber’s snake, which you can buy at your local hardware store - but be cautious, it can damage pipes.
Additional tips
- Never pour liquid grease down a drain
- Always use a drain sieve to clean drains of your home.
- Don’t wash hair down the drain. Just put it at the edge of the drain and throw it out afterwards.
