What is your go to homemade drain cleaner?

Most of us have tried and in some cases succeeded clearing a clogged drain. The first thing most us go to is a store bought product drain cleaner with harsh chemicals, this exposes your pipes that might be older to harsh chemical treatment.

On the other hand most of have made homemade drain cleaner products out of other household products like bleach and baking soda mixture to clear a clogged garbage disposal. Mixing these chemicals can be dangerous if you don’t know what chemicals combine with each other or work against each other.

Mixing the wrong chemicals together can be toxic for your pipes and toxic to breathe in and can even burn your eyes if trying to unclog and drain in a confined space like a small bathroom.

When searching online for clogged drain there a million do it your self recipes to clear a backed up sink , shower , toilets and pipes. Some of there concoctions use serval at home ingredients mixed together to make your magic drain cleaning recipe.

Some of the most common at home remedies include Vinegar, baking Soda, Dish Detergent, and Bleach.

Again some of these combinations can be harmful if mixed together. They might not cause real harm to your pipes. If these home remedies fail your best bet is to call Streamline Plumbing to ensure your drains are cleared properly and professionally.

Drain Clearing Tools for the homeowner

After you have tried to use the home chemical remedies and they don’t do the trick there are a few plumbing tools that every home should have. The plunger is something everyone has to clear a clogged toilet, but did you know you can use a plunger to clear a clogged sink or bathtub drain.

When hair is the cause of the clog usually in the shower or bathroom sink you can use a wire or plastic hook. You can also buy a threaded hook that goes down the drain and pulls out hair form the drain.

You can also get a drain snake at your local hardware store to clear a clog that might be deeper in the pipe.

What is blocking your drain

You might be tempted to just try home remedies like chemical mixtures or home plumbing tools like a plunger but before you do make sure you know what exactly is causing the clog.  When a professional does drain clearing and cleaning they take the time to find out what they are dealing with before attempting to clear the drain.

Since most pluming takes place where you can’t see it , it is not always possible to what’s causing the clog. You could have a broken sewer line or grease trapped in the drain. Your home c=recipe won’t do a thing to a Lego or a busted drain pipe.

Professionals like Streamline Plumbing will use a camera placed in your drains to see what we can’t see and what the actual cause is and than determine what the best course of action is.

Sometimes Drains Need a Little TLC

Some home remedies like Vinegar or Baking soda usually wont damage your pipes. What can cause a plumbing disaster is boiling water.

If your pipes are made of PVC plastic pipes than pouring boiling water down the drain can be disastrous . PVC pipes can hold a temperature of 140 degrees and boiling water is 212 degrees.

The high temperature of boiling water can cause your PVC pipes to melt or melt the glue that holds the joints of your pipes together. Pouring boiling water down a clear drain will not cause a problem, if the drain is clogged the boiling water will be trapped and that’s when the damage can happen.

Calling the professionals at Streamline Plumbing can assure that your clogged drain in handled properly and no other damage is done.

The Limited Power of Homemade Drain Cleaner

Sometimes these home remedies can work for a minor clogged that can be dissolved using your DIY hacks. But what if your backup has nothing to do with a clogged drain.

Your drain in your sink is clogged and immediately you think some food particles or grease even but what if its not. It could be your sewer pipes that are clogged deeper in the pipes or you could have a broken pipe altogether. You could also have a foreign object lodged in your pipe like a kids toy.

Tree roots are another issue that can cause pipes to break and cause a sewer back up by growing in and around your pipes. Tree roots are a serious issue and only an experienced plumber should consider handling this particular plumbing issue.

Go Ahead Go Natural

Clearing a clogged drain is something everyone try’s at one time or another. even though most homemade remedies won’t work to  clear your drain they won’t ruin your pipes like some chemical cleaners can.

If you really want to try and go the natural home remedy route using dish soap and water , or a cup of salt followed by a cup of hot water not boiling to clean your drains and maintain them. Some of these remedies can help keep your drains clean and can prevent clogs from forming.

Why Call Streamline Plumbing 

Streamline Plumbing offer professional plumbing services including clogged drains. We have state of the art equipment including camera’s to find a what is actually causing the clog or even if its a clog and not a broken pipe.

Our licensed staff has years of experience dealing with all types clogged drains situations. We offer free estimates and emergency on call services