Let me paint you a picture. It’s Monday morning, and I’ve just opened my eyes and I’m already late. I’m running around, amassing everything I need to get the day started. Phone, check. Wallet, check. Bag, check. I’m in the kitchen, making my smoothie and about to wash out the few dishes I’ve used when my drain isn’t doing the one job it’s meant to do – drain.
Panic. Visions of plumber bills flash before me. There goes my morning. But wait, actually, there is something that can be done without a meltdown, AND without chemicals. While these tricks aren’t for bigger pipe problems, they are good for minor buildups. And they’re quick and cheap too! Here are 5 eco-friendly ways to unclog your drain.
5. Baking Soda And Vinegar
Perfect for de-gunking and clearing out the drain in your kitchen, simply pour in ½ cup of baking soda followed by ½ cup of vinegar, chased down by 4 cups of boiling water. The solution should break down fat and grease buildup while the hot water flushes out the loosened debris.
4. Salt And Water
Notice your sink taking its sweet time to drain? There could be a build up of soap inside. To help things run more smoothly, dump in a ½ cup of salt (any) followed by a steady stream of boiling water for 10 seconds. The idea here is that the salt is gritty and acts like a scrubber that scrapes all the goop hanging around in your pipes.
PicEvo3. Dishwashing Detergent
Tough on grease and gentle on skin – perfect for abolishing gross stuff caught in your pipes. Fire off a few generous squirts down the drain then pour a steady stream of boiling water. Cleaned out and ready to go!
2. Manually
Yup, grab a good ‘ol plunger and get cracking. Sometimes, this is the only way to get things back to business as usual. Then, from now on, put a little drain basket or screen on top to prevent hair, soap, shampoo and more from getting caked in there!
Thrifty Fun1. Live Enzymes
For the very eco-conscious, grab a bottle of live enzyme cleaning products to gobble through the buildup. Brands like Biokleen and Earth Enzymes will do the trick, and have you up and running in no time!
