How You Can Clean Your Drains Yourself
The drains throughout your home are in charge of carrying wastewater and other waste out of your home and away. If your drains become clogged, they will not be able to clear the waste from your home properly and it will eventually either clog in the drains, or you may have a backup later down the road. You may also smell foul odors coming from a clogged drain where water and waste are sitting in your drains. All of these things can be awful to have to deal with. If you have clogs in your drains, you need to have them cleaned out to prevent further issues.
Read on for ways you can clean out your drains yourself.
Boiling Water
Boiling water can be used to clean out your drains, although this may be a temporary solution and may only clean the drains closer to the opening. If your drains only have a minor clog, boiling water may help you. Boil water in a pot, then pour it down your drain, making sure to pour it slowly and close around the edges of the drain to remove anything stuck to the sides of the drain. Food or grease and oils may be clogged in the drain and the boiling water may help to remove it. If you have fruit flies nesting in your drain as well, the boiling water can help to kill these pests and remove them from your drains.
Drain Cleaning Liquid
A drain cleaning liquid can help remove clogs in the drain and allow the water to move freely through the drains again. It can help with minor clogs as well. You need to follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use the drain cleaner and pour it into the drain to remove the clog you are dealing with. Using this type of cleaner should not be used if you have a septic system, as it can be harmful to the good bacteria in your system and lead to other problems.
Drain Snake
You can use a drain snake to clean out your drains. Insert the drain snake into the drain and move it around the drain. Remove the snake and pull out whatever it is that was clogging the drain. This is good for kitchen or bathroom sinks, as well as shower or bathtub drains. A rotating snake can be used in other drains, although they can damage some of your drains inside of your home and should be used in a cleanout that is outside of your home, rather than inside your home.
If you have drains that need to be cleaned, or you are experiencing issues with your drains clogging, you should hire a professional plumber to help you clean out your drains. Use the information above to help you clean your drains yourself and to help keep them working properly.
To learn more about drain cleaning, reach out to a local plumber.