GREEN DRAIN CLEANINGThere are several effective ways to clean, clear and maintain your drains while being kind to the environment, your pipes and septic system (if you have one).
In the fight against hair and grease clogs, your greenest allies are boiling water, baking soda, vinegar and a plunger.
REMEMBER: Even if the following methods use ordinary household items
and don't have big, scary warning labels on them, please exercise care anyway.
and don't have big, scary warning labels on them, please exercise care anyway.
DRAIN CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE. Regular cleaning keeps residue from building up. If your pipes are clear then clogs are less likely to form. As I write this, I am boiling my water for my end of summer cleaning.
A Kettle A Month Keeps The Plumber AwaySLOW DRAINS. No, your drain is not stupid. But it probably needs some help to keep its pipes clear.
Pour 1/2 of kettle of boiling water down the drain, wait a few minutes then follow it up with the other 1/2.
A Weekly Cocktail of Citrus and Ice
Freshen your garbage disposal by crunching ice cubes and/or chopped citrus peels (don't use large pieces which could get tangled in the blades).
A Quarterly Hot Bath
Every four months, use the combination of 1/2 a kettle of boiling water, then 1/2 a cup baking soda which you let sit for a few minutes, then follow that with 1/2 a cup of white vinegar and the rest of your boiling water. If you have just used a commercial drain cleaner, it isn't advisable to use this green combination so soon after or while the commercial cleaner might still be in standing water in the pipes. Wait till the drain runs freely before starting a green regimen.
Free Room and Board for Bacteria
Use natural, living bacteria and enzymes to clean your drain and keep your septic system working. The bacteria will take up residence in your pipes where they munch on the organic matter that the enzymes break down. All that "stuff" would otherwise build up on the sides of your pipes.
Soda and Water
Use 1 cup of baking soda followed by 3 cups of boiling water. Repeat until the drain clears easily.
CLOGS. Nope, wrong again. Not wooden shoes, but a tangled mess that blocks your drain. A clog starts when residue builds up around the sides of your pipes. You may not notice anything is wrong until water is slow to drain. Keep the pipes clear with regular maintenance.
Take the Plunge
Try a plunger to dislodge the clog. It may take some effort but at least you get to burn some calories. If that doesn't work, try the next combination.
Soda Vinegar and Water
First, pour 1/2 a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then slowly pour 1/2 a cup of white vinegar. Leave the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes before following it up with boiling water.
HINTS AND TIPS
- Try washing soda if you can find it. It is stronger than baking soda.
- Soda works best on bathroom drains and hair clogs.
- Hot water works best on kitchen drains because it melts grease.
- Laundry drains are usually clogged by lint and hair which won't be dissolved by the green methods described above. So keep your laundry drains clear. A piece of old panty hose around the drain basket will keep even fine lint from getting down into the pipes.
- Give the above methods a few chances to work before you give up on green drain cleaning. Only as a last resort should you use a chemical drain cleaner. They contain harsh substances like sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, and should not be used if you have a septic system. They don't have DANGER warnings for nothing. Just because you've poured it down the drain doesn't mean it can't come back to you in the form of runoff or get into the water table.
This article has hyperlinks to definitions from Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary.
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