Homemade fixes for a slow moving drain
Most of us have a sink or bathtub that drains slowly. It’s one of those things we mean to get around to. Even so, we usually wait until the drain nearly stops completely before trying to fix the problem. Sometimes though a clogged drain can be opened up with a simple homemade remedy.
If you have a slow moving drain, and don’t have an environmentally safe chemical drain opener handy, try this homemade solution:
First remove as much water out of the area as possible.
Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup of hot white vinegar (please pour separately and don’t mix together). Be careful. The two ingredients interact with foaming and fumes, so replace the drain cover loosely and have fans on or do make sure you have good ventilation. Let the mixture work for about three hours before running hot water.
If you suspect the slow drain is from a grease buildup, try this mixture: Pour in 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda followed by a teakettle of boiling water. Allow to sit overnight.
You can keep your drains clog-free and odorless by using the following homemade noncorrosive drain cleaner weekly. Combine 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup table salt, and 1/4 cup cream of tartar. Stir ingredients together thoroughly and pour into a clean, covered jar. Pour 1/4 cup of mixture into drain, and immediately add 1 cup boiling water. Wait 10 seconds, then flush with cold water. Flushing weekly with a generous amount of boiling water also works well.
