How to unclog a drain with a natural drain cleaner

At Rhino Plumbing & Drainage, many people call us to unclog a drain, however if you use a natural drain cleaner frequently, it is unlikely that you will suffer from a clogged sink ever again.

A natural drain cleaner will help you prevent a clogged kitchen sink happening and also save you a ton of money in the process. After all, unblocking sinks and cleaning drains is an unpleasant job and if you have to call in a plumber frequently, the costs can add up.

Don’t use chemical drain cleaners to unclog a drain

If you want to tackle your clogged sink yourself, don’t go straight for the chemical cleaners as these are very caustic and are bad for the environment. Of course, most people think that these are an easy and quick fix, but there are problems when you use these chemicals for cleaning drains.

Most of these cleaners contain hydrochloric acid, which is a very corrosive chemical and even though they may well unclog a drain, they will also corrode the lining of your pipes. They can even cause your septic tanks to block and overflow (much worse than a clogged kitchen sink!), costing you even more money, because we then have to come out and unblock your septic system.

The harsh chemicals in these cleaners can also pose a health risk to family members and pets and you must be careful to avoid breathing in any fumes or getting any of the chemicals on your skin. Last, but not least, these corrosive chemicals can leach into the soil and groundwater through broken pipes and will certainly contaminate the effluent in town sewage plants.

Use a natural drain cleaner to unclog a drain

On the other hand, a natural drain cleaner, such as a baking soda drain cleaner is a perfectly good option that actually works well to unblock a clogged kitchen sink or drain. All you need to do is to pour 1 cup of baking soda in the drain of your clogged kitchen sink (around 240ml).

Follow this up with ½ cup of white vinegar (around 120ml) and immediately put the plug in the sink. Leave this to stew for about 30 minutes and then run hot water into the sink and down the drain for a few minutes to clean the pipes.

If you have a really stubborn clogged sink, you might need to do this another one or two times, but this baking soda drain cleaner should fix your problem. Try to remember to do this once a month and you should never have to call us in to unclog a drain ever again!

For all of your plumbing installations and repairs (even a clogged kitchen sink),
call us today on 02 9863 3025, email us at help@rhinoplumbers.com.au
or complete our online enquiry form for a free quote.