6 Simplest Ways to Unclog Bathroom Drain

There are various reasons for regular cleanliness check

in your home, but clogged drains stand out due to the fact that they can cause some serious damage if neglected. Many everyday things could lead to stubborn clogs in your bathroom drain, from soap scum to hair. Once you notice the gunk that has built up on the surface of your drain you’ll immediately remove it. But, in some cases, nothing happens. No worries, you have some liquid plumber somewhere. But still no result. With the plunger, it’s the same story. You start to panic thinking that the problem is far more serious than you’ve expected. But you should know that there is still a number of simple ways to unclog the bathroom drain you probably didn’t think of.

1. Keep Your Eyes on The Warning Signs

The key is to pay attention to the warning signs and take action immediately. But the problem is that people usually ignore these signs until unpleasant and strange odors appear. You should react as soon as you notice water pooling around your feet in the shower or that the sink takes a little longer to drain. This is practically a guarantee that you’ll face a clogged drain pretty soon. If you wait your drain will get blocked completely which will lead to a completely useless bathroom or a burst pipe. You could still try to repair the damage yourself but it’s wise to call in the professionals since you’ll need to unclog blocked drains. So keep your eyes on the warning signs and you’ll be able to pick a simple solution for the list below.

2. Put The Kettle on

This is the easiest possible solution, and therefore the first you should try. Simply pour as much water into the kettle as it will hold, and boil it. Then pour it down the drain, but slowly, in three stages. The point is to wait for several seconds between each pour in order to allow the hot water to work. Besides it’s extremely easy, this solution is the quickest one.

3. The Fizzing Action

If boiling water doesn’t do the trick it’s time to pick up your measuring cup and fill it with the mix of 1/3rd of a cup of baking soda and 1/3rd of a cup of vinegar. The mix will immediately start to fizz and you should pour it down the clogged drain right away. This fizzing action should be able to help you remove everything that has built up in the pipe. It would be best to let it sit overnight, but at least one hour is mandatory. After that, you simply flush with hot water. Another way to do it is to pour down as much of the dry baking soda as the clogged drain allows and pour vinegar after that. There’s also a variation of this method with salt instead of vinegar.

4. Vacuum it

This solution is also fairly easy if you’re a proud owner of wet & dry vacuum cleaner, which can also be a terrific tool for handling clogged drains. First, cover up the vent so you’ll prevent the mess and set the machine to vacuum the liquids. After that, you’re gonna need to create a tight seal over your drain, the tightest you can. Adapting an old plunger head is a creative way that’ll do the trick. Then simply turn the vacuum on its highest setting. This will not always work, but usually, it’s powerful enough to draw the clog up the pipe right into the vacuum bag.

5. Fishing With The Wire Hanger

Since you’ll be using a strengthened regular wire coat hanger, this solution is surprisingly effective. After your straighten it out as much as you can simply create a small hook by bending one end over. After you push it past the drain cover it’s pretty much like fishing, only you’ll be able to ʽcatchʼ all sorts of nasty stuff and pull it out. Just try not to push the gunk further since the point is to pull it out. If you remove the most of the gunk this way, simply running hot water should finish the job.

6. Empty its Bowels

This solution can be messy as it sounds, but it’s still pretty easy. For starters, you’ll need to place an empty bucket beneath the sink, underneath the trap the U-shaped pipe. Then use a plumber’s wrench to loosen the slip nuts at both ends of the pipe. After that, you can remove the trap by hand and immediately turn it upside down to empty its yucky contents into the bucket. Keep your ʽupgradedʼ wire hanger close at hand since you might have to fish out some additional debris, especially from the pipes which were holding the trap. An old toothbrush is an equally efficient tool when it comes to removing the tough gunk. As we’ve said, it’s a bit messy but it should do the trick. After you rinse the trap with water simply put it all back together.

You can see that there is a list of very simple ways to unclog the bathroom drain, from boiling water or fizzing action, across vacuuming, to fishing and getting your hands a bit dirty. Just keep your eyes on the warning signs and don’t hesitate to involve professionals if you realize you’ve been waiting too long.

Author Bio: Ron Wolf is a hobby designer and a DIY enthusiast, and, above all, a very blessed father of two. Besides that, he has a strong passion for writing. He is a featured blogger at various blogs and magazines in which he shared his research and experience with the vast online community. If he is not working he enjoys being outside with his family. Hiking, bike riding, and BBQing are always a thing for him. In the evening, he likes to watch documentaries or build something with kids in their lego corner.