DIY Home Drain Cleaning: What to Do When It Doesn’t Work

What to do when DIY Home Drain Cleaning Doesn’t Work. Find out some tips for when you need to get your drain at home cleaned.

 

DIY Home Drain Cleaning: What to Do When It Doesn’t Work

Having a clogged or backed-up drain in your home can be frustrating and unpleasant. It can also create a health hazard, so it’s very important that you get it cleaned out and working properly as soon as possible. Whether it’s draining really slowly or not at all, there are some DIY solutions you can try.

But what if those options don’t work? If you’re trying all the DIY methods for cleaning your drains and getting nowhere, it may be time to call in the pros. Here are some of the more common solutions, and what you can do if you’re not having any success with them.

Plungers and Snakes

Most people use plungers or drain snakes to clear drains that are clogged and not flowing properly. These can work great at times, because they clean out blockages or force them down the pipe, where they can get away from bends and joints. Unfortunately, they don’t always work as intended. Depending on where the clog in the drain is actually located, the size and type of clog, and other factors, you might not be able to get to the clog with a snake, and a plunger can be ineffective.

Drain Cleaners

Drain cleaners are another common DIY option. These can be bought at all kinds of stores and used to break up hair and other types of clogs from pipes. While most of these cleaners say that they’re safe for all kinds of pipes, they can be hard on the pipes and actually cause harm over time. There’s also a risk of being injured when using these cleaners, as they’re very caustic. You don’t want to get them on your skin or breathe their fumes, so they aren’t necessarily a safe choice.

Hot Water and Soap

Some people use hot, soapy water, or boiling water, to treat a clogged drain. Baking soda and vinegar are also suggested by many DIYers. However, these are generally only effective on very small clogs that are easily broken up, and they aren’t going to clean out larger clogs that build up in the bigger pipes. Little hair clogs in a sink drain are very different from a large blockage that’s in the main waste pipe leaving your home.

Calling in the Pros

With options like hydro-jet pipe cleaning, a professional plumber can get your home’s drains flowing again. The goal is to clear the clogs, flush them all the way through to the main sewer pipe, and ensure that the insides of the pipes are as clean as possible. Not only does that get water moving when you shower, wash dishes, or flush the toilet, but it also reduces the chances that the pipes will clog up again anytime soon. That can provide more peace of mind for your future.

Don’t Settle for Backed-Up Drains

There’s no reason to settle for drains that are backed up, clogged, and slow to work. If you’re not getting anywhere with the various DIY methods you’ve tried, or you don’t feel good about trying some of those methods at all, the best thing you can do is work with a professional. They have the knowledge and experience to find the source of the problem and treat it, and they also have the tools to ensure that they’ve cleaned the drain thoroughly and gotten rid of any clogs that were there.

When you need more than a DIY solution has to offer, professional drain cleaning is the next logical choice. You can also get important information about how to keep clogs from coming back, so you can keep your drains working the way they should for the long term.