Any homeowner will find it stressful and inconvenient to deal with clogged drains. But don’t worry! In this blog, we’ll give you DIY drain cleaning tips and tricks you can use to effectively clean your drains. We can help you with a slow-draining sink or a clog that won’t go away. But we also know that some things need the help of experts.
This is where the great drain cleaning services from Precise Plumbing come in. We are ready to handle any drainage problem because they have high-tech tools, skilled workers, and a commitment to customer happiness.
So, let’s dive in and find out how to make your home run easily. And don’t forget, if you have harder drain problems, don’t be afraid to call Precise Plumbing and live a life without clogs and stress!
DIY Drain Cleaning Tips for Your Alliston Home
1. Baking soda and vinegar
Drains can be cleaned with the help of baking soda and vinegar thanks to a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide gas. Because baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid, the two react to produce bubbles that aid to loosen obstructions in the drain. This concoction is one of, if not the most popular DIY drain cleaning tips out there.
The acidity of the vinegar also helps break down the grease and other accumulated debris that are causing the clog. Simply pour half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of vinegar down the drain and watch the fizzing and bubbling action take place. Give the concoction half an hour to sit before you flush it with hot water.
While the combination of baking soda and vinegar can be used as a safe and effective cleaner for many blockages, it may not be successful against all varieties of obstructions. The use of a drain snake or chemical drain cleaning may be required in extreme circumstances.
Wearing protective gear, such as gloves and goggles, is essential for working with chemicals. Furthermore, due to the risk of explosion, you should not combine baking soda and vinegar in a sealed container. As an added precaution, avoid pouring this solution down drains constructed of copper or brass.
We always get the question, “Can you leave baking soda and vinegar in the drain overnight?” And yes, putting baking soda and vinegar down a drain and leaving them there overnight is a good way to clean the sink well. If you let the mixture sit for a long time, it has more time to respond and break up the clog.
But it’s important to be careful and not let the mixture sit for more than 24 hours. If you do, the lines could get damaged.
Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then 1 cup of vinegar, if you want to use this method overnight. Then, put a plug or a wet cloth over the drain to keep the mixture from running out. Let it sit for less than 24 hours without touching it. This will give the chemical process enough time to break up the clog. Once the time is up, run hot water down the drain to get rid of any leftover debris or dust.
If the clog is still there in the morning, you can do the process again. But if the blockage is still there, you might need to try something else.
2. Salt and baking soda
When you mix salt and baking soda, you get good DIY drain cleaning. Baking soda is a mineral product that is found in nature. It is slightly alkaline and can dissolve mineral deposits and slightly acidic organic materials like grease. Also, baking soda is a gentle disinfectant that can kill bacteria and fungi that cause bad smells, which could stop clogs from forming.
To unclog a drain with salt and baking soda, first, mix together 1/2 cup of each. Pour the mixture down the drain, then pour hot water over it. As the mixture responds, it will fizz and bubble, which will help push the clog out of the way. Let the mixture sit in the drain for at least 30 minutes before flushing it with hot water.
Using salt and baking soda to clean drains has a lot of good points. First of all, they are natural and non-toxic, so they are safe to use around kids and animals. Second, they are not too expensive, making them a cost-effective way to maintain drains. Also, these ingredients are easy to find and can be bought at most grocery shops.
It’s important to remember that salt and baking soda may not work for all types of clogs, even though they are safe and helpful for many.
By using salt and baking soda in the right way and following these tips, you can clean your drains in a safe and eco-friendly way. If you have a mild clog, you may want to try this method before using harsh chemicals. This will save you money and help protect the environment.
3. Drain snake
A drain snake is a useful tool for getting rid of clogs in drains. It has a long, flexible wire with an end that looks like a corkscrew. When using a drain snake, the cable is put into the drain until it hits the clog. Then, it is turned with a drill or a handle. As the corkscrew end turns, it can catch the clog and pull it out, whether it’s hair, food, or grease.
Before you can use a drain snake, you have to hook it up to a drill or crank handle. The snake is then carefully put into the drain until it gets to the blockage. Once the drill or handle is in the right place, the corkscrew end is turned, which makes the block move. The process keeps going until the blockage is completely gone. To make sure the drain is clean, it is best to flush it with hot water to get rid of any leftover debris.
Drain snakes are known for how well they work and how safe they are to use because it’s a manual way to unclog drains. They don’t cost too much money and are easy to use. But it’s important to know that they might not be enough for really bad clogs. In these situations, you might need to call a plumber for drain cleaning in Alliston.
To use a drain snake safely, you should take certain steps. It is important to wear gloves and eye protection to avoid getting splashed or hit by things. It’s also important not to force the drain snake if it meets resistance, because too much force could damage the pipes. The tool works best when it is used with care and under control.
By following these safety tips and using a drain snake the right way, you can clear clogged drains with confidence and keep your pipes in good shape.
4. Wire hanger
Using a wire hanger is a simple and cheap DIY drain cleaning method. Straighten out the wire hanger, and then bend one end into the shape of a small hook. Carefully put the hook into the drain and try to fish out any debris that is causing the clog. If the trash is hard to get out, you can break it up with the hook by scraping it against the sides of the drain.
After trying to remove the clog or break it up, flush the drain with hot water to get rid of any leftover debris and make sure the water flows smoothly. This method is especially good for getting rid of hair, soap scum, or small items that might be blocking the drain.
When using a wire hanger for cleaning drains, it’s important to follow safety rules. It is important to wear gloves or eye protection to protect against any splashes or debris that might happen. Also, it’s important not to force the wire hanger if it meets resistance because too much force could damage the pipes.
Even though a wire hanger can help with some clogs, it might not be enough for more serious ones. If you find that the clog is still there, you should call Alliston drain cleaning services.
Some other tips for using a wire hanger are to use a strong hanger that can handle the pressure and to make sure the hook is sharp so that you can pick up things more easily. During the process, you need to be patient because it might take a while to clear the clog fully.
5. Wet/dry vacuum
A strong tool that can be used to clean drains well is a wet/dry vacuum. First, connect the wet/dry vacuum hose firmly to the drain opening. Once the vacuum is hooked up, turn it on and let it pull the water and debris out of the clogged drain. The strong suction of the vacuum can handle both liquids and solids, which makes it useful for getting rid of different kinds of clogs.
If the clog doesn’t go away, you can try to break it up by scraping the sides of the drain with other tools. This scraping action can help move and free the debris, making it easier for the vacuum to get rid of the whole clog.
After using the wet/dry vacuum to clear the clog, it is best to flush the drain with hot water to make sure any leftover debris is washed away, leaving the drain clean and unblocked.
It’s important, however, to choose a wet/dry cleaner that is made for drain cleaning. Make sure it has a long hose and different accessories to make the job go more smoothly. During the cleaning process, you need to be patient because it may take a while to get rid of the clog. If you’re not comfortable handling a machine, then this may not be the right DIY drain cleaning tip for you.
If, despite your best efforts, the clog doesn’t go away or you have trouble doing it on your own, it might be best to call an Alliston plumber, who can look at the problem and tell you how to fix it.
6. Enzyme drain cleaner
Enzyme drain cleaners are better than chemical drain cleaners because of a number of ways. First of all, enzyme drain cleaners are better to use because they are non-toxic and don’t give off dangerous fumes. This makes them good for homes with kids and pets because it makes them less likely to get into the wrong hands and cause health problems. Chemical drain cleaners, on the other hand, can hurt you if you don’t use them carefully. They can cause skin rashes, breathing problems, and even damage to your eyesight.
Second, enzyme drain cleaners do a better job of getting rid of clogs. They work by breaking down organic matter like hair, food, and grease. This makes them especially good at getting rid of jams caused by these things. Some chemical drain cleaners, on the other hand, can only remove grease and a few other things. This makes them less good at breaking down organic matter.
Also, enzyme drain cleaners are safe for the earth and break down naturally. They are a good way to clean drains because they don’t hurt the environment or pollute rivers. Chemical drain cleaners, on the other hand, can be bad for the environment and wildlife because they don’t break down.
Chemical drain cleaners, on the other hand, can be harmful to your health, cause damage to your lines, and have bad effects on the environment. If you don’t handle some chemical cleaners carefully, they can be very dangerous, and their corrosive qualities could damage your plumbing over time.
On the other hand, enzyme drain cleaners are safe around children and pets, work well to clear jams caused by organic matter, and are biodegradable, which means they have less of an impact on the environment. This is why we highly recommend this for DIY drain cleaning.
Overall, enzyme drain cleaners are better than chemical drain cleaners because they are safer, work better, and are better for the environment. Enzyme drain cleaners are a good way for people who want to clean their drains in a safe and sensible way to do so.
What Do Professionals Use To Clean Drains?
1. Plumbing snakes
A plumbing snake is a useful tool that plumbers use to clear clogged drains quickly. A cone-shaped auger is connected to the end of a long, flexible metal cable. The plumber puts the end of the snake into the drain and pushes it through the drain line while turning a handle. This makes the cable spin inside the pipe. Clogs in the drain are broken up and taken out by the spinning action.
Because it is flexible, the plumbing snake can move around the turns and twists of the drainpipe without getting stuck. It keeps moving forward until it gets to the thing that’s blocking the line. Once the end of the auger hits the blockage, it twists, which helps it grab the clogs and pull them back out of the sink.
How to use a plumbing snake is pretty easy. The plumber sets up old towels or shirts to catch any trash that might come out of the drain. You must wear work gloves so you don’t touch the cable after it comes out of the drain or any of the things that are causing the clog.
The plumber puts the auger end of the plumbing snake into the drain and feeds the wire into the drain while turning it. The snake moves along the pipe as the handle is slowly turned. If the stopped drain is in a tub, the plumber may use the overflow drain instead of the floor drain, which may mean taking off the cover.
When the plumber feels pushback when turning the snake, it means the snake has hit a blockage. At this point, the plumber slowly pulls the wire back out, along with the things that are causing the clog. The spinning of the auger helps it catch on to the clog and pull it out more easily.
After getting the clog out, the plumber runs water down the drain to get rid of any other debris that the snake may have moved. Once the job is done, the snake is cleaned and dried before being put away for later use.
Plumbers find that drain snakes are an easy and effective way to clear clogged drains. Its flexibility and spinning auger make it easy to move through drains, clear clogs and get draining back to normal.
2. Hydro-jetting
Hydro-jetting is a powerful way for plumbers to clean out lines that are clogged or full of debris all over the plumbing system. High-pressure water jets are used to clear the pipe walls of grease, food particles, mineral scale, trash, and even tree roots. This keeps the pipes from getting clogged and backed up again.
To start the hydro jetting process, the plumber looks at the plumbing system to find the best place to put the hose in and figure out where the big blockages and buildup are. The checkup also checks to see if the pipes can handle the high pressure of hydro jetting. If the pipes are very old or weak, this method may not work for them.
If the plumber thinks that hydro jetting is too dangerous, they may offer other ways to deal with tree roots that may be threatening the plumbing system, such as snaking or using an auger. If the pipes can’t be cleaned with hydro jetting and there are still regular clogs and drainage problems, the plumber may suggest getting new pipes that work better.
After finding the entry points, the plumber lowers hoses into the pipes and turns on the hydro jetting machine. The machine pressurizes the water to up to 35,000 psi, but the pressure is changed by the plumber to meet the needs of the pipe system.
As the water flows through the pipes, the hose moves along the plumbing system, aggressively removing buildup and heavy clogs. The material that comes loose from the pipe walls is flushed out of the system. It flows down and out of the pipes in a safe way.
Hydro jetting is a more thorough way to clean pipes and get rid of clogs than drain snaking because it flushes the system strongly with water instead of chemicals. Drain snaking, on the other hand, pokes holes in clogs and breaks them up, but it may not be as good at grabbing trash from the pipe walls. But snaking is better for older homes or lines that aren’t as strong because it puts less pressure on the pipes than hydro jetting.
Hydro jetting can clear hair jams, mineral deposits, grease and fat deposits, food deposits, silt, sand, and, in some cases, even tree roots from pipes.
Signs that your plumbing system may need hydro jetting are regular backups, bad smells coming from sink drains, noisy or bubbling pipes, frequent clogs even when you’re careful about what you put down the drains, and slow drains. If you aren’t sure if hydro jetting is needed, a local Alliston drain cleaning can do a video line inspection to get a clear picture of the plumbing system’s state and whether or not hydro jetting is needed. A sewer line check with a camera is a small investment compared to the cost of replacing the sewer line.
3. Video inspection
A sewer video inspection is when a plumber or other expert uses a video line with a camera at the end to look at the inside of a sewer water pipe. The video line can be run down the branch lines (pipes that go from bathtubs and sinks to the house’s sewer line) or the main sewer line (the bigger pipe that goes from the house to the city sewer line on the street).
The camera lets you see the inside of the pipe up close and in real-time. It also has a device that sends out messages. These signals are picked up by a locator device on the ground, which tells the expert exactly where any problems or blockages are.
A sewer video inspection is most helpful when popular methods like plunging, liquid drain cleaners, or sewer augering can’t fix the problem. Before adding a bathroom or remodelling a kitchen or bathroom, homeowners can also ask for a camera check to make sure the sewer line can handle the extra water flow.
Even though you can do a sewer video inspection on your own, it’s usually cheaper and faster to hire a professional Alliston plumber. Most DIY inspection scopes are short and don’t have advanced features like auto-focusing or righting themselves. Renting drain inspection cameras can also be pricey, and the time needed to learn how to use them can cut into the time you have the camera.
Professional sewer camera inspection technology is owned by plumbing companies and can cost up to $15,000. It has better features like bright lights, clear images, and the ability to record. To find blockages correctly, these cameras are a must.
Depending on the length of the line being inspected and any problems in the line, a sewer video inspection usually costs between $300 and $600. Some cheaper inspections may use older tools or be tied to the purchase of more expensive services.
Hire Professional Drain Cleaning Services in Alliston
If your drains are clogged in your Alliston home, learning how to clean them can save you time, money, and stress. The tips in this article are safe and effective ways to clear up common clogs, and they can be a great place to start for people who want to deal with small blockages.
But for more complicated problems or clogs that won’t go away, it’s important to call a professional. The drain cleaning services offered by Precise Plumbing in Alliston use high-tech tools, a lot of knowledge, and a commitment to great customer service to make sure that your drains are cleared quickly and effectively.
Don’t let clogged drains get in the way of your daily life. Instead, take action and call Precise Plumbing today for reliable drain cleaning services that won’t cause you any trouble. Let the pros take care of your plumbing needs so you can enjoy a home that doesn’t get clogged up and runs smoothly. Contact Precise Plumbing right away to stop having problems with your drains for good.