Clogged drain
It's that easy to clean it
© ThamKC / Shutterstock
If the drain in the bathroom or kitchen is clogged, it is not always necessary to use aggressive chemical drain cleaners. Natural home remedies help to clean the drain.
Clogged drains are mostly caused by fat deposits (for example soap residue) and hair. If the drain pipe is clogged and a plumber is hired, it can get quite expensive.
So that we save the costs of such a pipe cleaning, there are some tips and tricks that clean the drain with home remedies and without much effort.
Cleaning the drain: these home remedies will help
- Baking Soda and Vinegar: Baking powder is THE home remedy par excellence, and it is particularly effective for clogged drains. To do this, pour 4 tablespoons of baking powder down the drain and rinse with half a cup of vinegar. Now it should start to bubble, if that subsides, rinse again with hot water. By the way: instead of baking powder you can Baking soda Serve as a pipe cleaner together with vinegar.
- Pömpel (= Pümpel): Clogged drains can be easily cleaned with a suction bell – also known as a rubber bell, plunger or plunger. Before the plunger is used, hot water should be poured into the relevant drain. If there is an overflow, it should be covered with a damp cloth. The rubber bell on the Drain put and if possible cover completely. Then you can start: By quickly pulling the wooden handle up and down, a suction is created in the drain, which loosens the blockage.
- Plastic bottle: A plastic bottle can also help with a clogged shower drain or a clogged drain pipe in the sink. If you don't have a stick at hand, you can use it to clear the clogged drain of dirt in a similar way. The However, the opening of the bottle must be large enough to cover the drain. Here's how it works: Fill the bottle with hot water and press it down the drain. Squeeze the bottle again and again so that the same suction effect occurs as with the suction cup.
- Shish kebab skewer: Hair particularly often clogs the sink or shower drain. In the event of a blockage, however, it does not always have to be a chemical pipe cleaner. Just one Put the wooden skewer in the drain and twist it with your fingers. Your hair is already wrapping itself around the skewer.
Fixing a clogged drain – advanced tips
Cleaning spiral
The spiral pipe requires manual skill and is mostly used by plumbers. There is a risk of damaging the pipe more than simply cleaning the clogged drain.
- Carefully guide the cleaning spiral into the drain and through the siphon into the downpipe.
- Turn the crank and apply slight downward pressure.
- If you feel resistance, the coil should be pulled up and then pushed back in.
- After cranking, water should be poured in again and again and checked whether it can drain off again.
Wire brush
If the water in the sink no longer runs off, the blockage is usually directly in the siphon. Therefore, it makes sense to dismantle the pipe under the pool and clean with a wire brush. A pipe wrench is recommended to dismantle it into its individual parts. Before the siphon is reinstalled, a leak test should be carried out and, if necessary, a seal exchange should be started.
Avoid clogging the drain
"If the drain is really clogged, a strong drain cleaner from the drugstore will usually no longer help and the plumber has to work.", says household expert Yvonne Willicks. We need to take preventive measures so that the drain doesn't get clogged in the first place.
Here's how it works: a package once a week baking powderor a tablespoon soda put in the sink. Then rinse with a little water and let it take effect. With this trick we say goodbye to clogged drains and nasty smells!