Drain Cleaner and Opener Information

There are many things that can clog a drain, and there are many ways to open the clog so water runs clear. Here’s an overview of some common causes and cures.

Clogged Drain Prevention

To avoid clogging drains, use a drain strainer to trap food particles and hair. Collect grease in empty tin cans rather than pouring it down the drain. Pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain weekly to melt fat that may be building up in the drain; or weekly put some vinegar and baking soda down your drain to break down fat and keep your drain smelling fresh.

Plunger Use

A time-honored drain opener is the plunger.

TIP: Our plumbing consultant Mark Vander Sande wants you to know, “This plunger is the one I recommend, the old red rubber ones just are more difficult and don’t have a lot of force to them.”

This inexpensive tool will usually break up the clog and allow it to float away. It may take more than a few plunges to unclog the drain. However, do not use this method after any commercial drain opener has been used or is still present in the standing water.

If you are plunging a bathroom sink, the overflow hole on the sink needs to be covered. The overflow is a hole usually at the top front of the sink, sometimes at the back. Take a small rag or a portion of a small rag and push it into this overflow so it’s tight in the hole. This allows the air being forced by the plunger to go into the drain. If this hole is not filled, the air from your plunge will come out of this hole.

If you are plunging a kitchen sink and it’s a double bowl, the same process needs to be done to the basket strainer opposite the one you plunging through, of course this will require a larger rag. Just ball it up to the size of the basket strainer and hold it over the basket strainer while you plunge.

If you are plunging a bathtub, the overflow needs to be removed. Remove the 2 screws and lift out the linkage attached to the overflow. Just pull it up gently. There may be hair attached to the barrel at the bottom of this part. When the overflow is removed, stuff a rag into the hole. Push it in tight and plunge away.

Grease Buildup Removal

Dissolve 1 pound of baking soda in 3 gallons of boiling water and pour down drain. To avoid burns from boiling water, hold water container close to drain and pour slowly and directly into drain. For heavy grease buildup, use a commercial drain opener. Exercise extreme caution when using and follow label instructions exactly. (Commercial drain openers can also be used to clear hair buildup from bathroom drains.)

TIP: Mark adds, “Before using any commercial drain opener….check the drain pipes, including the p-trap under the sink. Commercial drain openers can eat through old metal and some plastic pipes and are very dangerous to clean up if a pipe or trap gets eaten through. This plumber recommends not using a commercial drain opener.”

Baking Soda and Vinegar Treatment

Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar and cover the drain if possible. Let it set for a few minutes, then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush it. The combination of baking soda and vinegar can break down fatty acids into soap and glycerin, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. Again, do not use this method after any commercial drain opener has been used or is still present in the standing water.

Salt and Baking Soda Treatment

Pour 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow with 6 cups of boiling water. Let it sit overnight and then flush with water. The hot water should help dissolve the clog and the baking soda and salt serve as an abrasive to break through the clog.

Mechanical Snake Use

A flexible metal snake can be purchased or rented. It is threaded down the clogged drain and manually pushes the clog away. Crank the snake and feed it into the pipe. Next withdraw the snake and flush the pipe with the water turned on full. With some luck, it may save you the expense of a plumber.

If you are using a flexible metal snake on a lavatory, and you are putting it down the top of the sink drain, the pop up must be removed. The pop up is usually attached under the sink.

The nut that holds the metal rod to the drain assembly needs to be removed. Lift the rod, hold on to the pop up from the top of the sink, remove the rod and remove the pop up. Leave the rod out until you are ready to fill the sink and check to see if the drain is open.

TIP: Mark recommends, “Remove the p-trap under sink and the tail piece attached to the drain pipe and insert the snake into the pipe from there. It is very difficult to push a snake through a p-trap depending on the length of the snake and depending on how many elbows are on the drain line. It can be very challenging to push a snake to where the clog is.

“Get a pair of gloves and bring a couple of rags and have a small garbage bag or shopping bag with you to put the hair or grease in when you remove the snake.

“If the p-trap nuts are old and hard to remove, consider calling a local plumber. We know the tricks of removing them. And if they break when removing them, we usually have the parts on our service vehicles. Believe me it will save you a potential headache…but if you want to remove the nuts…use channel lock pliers…don’t use a pipe wrench…..old metal p-traps are usually rotting and I recommend you replace them with a plastic one…most bathroom sink use 1 ¼-inch p-traps…some are 1 ½-inch.”

Mark Vander Sande, professional plumber, contributed to this article.