What’s Causing Your Clogged Drain and How Do You Safely Unclog Your Drain?

A clogged drain can back up your schedule, your finances, and your life. It’s a pesky problem that only gets worse until it’s dealt with and fixed. Since you didn’t factor plumbing issues into your planner or your budget this week, you’re going to want the quickest, most cost-efficient solution to get the job done.

While you’ve seen countless advertisements for magic chemical concoctions that unclog drains instantly, these products are not what they seem, and going the DIY route can actually do more damage to your drain than good.

The Dangers of Store-bought Drain Cleaners

Store-bought drain-cleaning chemicals are extremely harmful to your drains, your skin, and your overall health. While these strong chemicals may seem capable of clearing clogs, they can do detrimental damage to your drains and pipes. The chemicals can eat away at your pipes and make it so that clogs are more likely to occur in the future. So, while they can be a short-term solution to a clogged drain, they can cause long-term damage, costly repairs, and more clogs in the future.

If you insist on trying a store-bought drain cleaner to unclog your drains, make sure to purchase an all-natural enzymatic cleaner. These products are safer for your pipes because they use natural enzymes to break down bacteria and organic matter, but unfortunately, they’ll be no match for tough clogs.

Safe DIY Solutions for Minor Drain Maintenance

If your drain isn’t completely clogged, but draining a little bit slower than usual, you may be able to increase your drain speed with these simple DIY methods. For a slow-draining kitchen drain, try removing some buildup with a combination of hot water and dish detergent. Heat a large pot of water almost to a boil, and stir in several tablespoons of liquid dish detergent. Then, slowly pour this solution down the drain and flush it with hot tap water. The hot water will help melt away some of the grease, and the detergent will help dissolve fat that could be clogging your drain.

For a slow draining bathroom drain, the culprit is likely hair buildup. You can try to remove hair buildup in the drain with pliers or tweezers. After removing the clog, invest in a shower drain hair catcher. The device will catch the hairs before they slip into your drain and become part of a cluster that will eventually clog your pipes.

These solutions won’t help get rid of major obstructions in your pipes, but done regularly, could help prevent clogs.

Call the Experts for Major Clogs in Your Drain

If your drain is clogged to the point where water is backing up and pooling in your sink or tub, these DIY methods will be no match. Its time to call the experts. Professional plumbers have the experience, skills, and equipment to get your drain flowing perfectly without causing any harm to your health or your pipes. Plumbers use equipment like a drain auger (a long metal coil that snakes down a drain until it drills into an obstruction) or a hydro-jetter (a high-powered hose with a 360-degree nozzle that blasts and clears obstructions from the drain) to get your drain working properly once again.

For Help with Your Unclogging Your Drains, Call Central Plumbing Today

Central Plumbing is the local expert for all things plumbing. Our licensed, bonded, and insured plumbers are always ready to help. We provide high-quality plumbing services to the Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and Lafayette areas. If your drain is clogged and causing you problems, call us today. We’ll see what we can do to get your drain cleared and draining smoothly as efficiently as possible. And once your drain is fixed, use the tips above to keep it in mint condition.