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Drain De-Clogger

We have a bathroom in our house that gets a lot of traffic. It's used for typical bathroom sink purposes, such as washing one's hands after one has gone; brushing one's teeth in the get-out-the-door-fast morning frenzy; setting up a Barbie doll hair salon; conducting experiments in which crayons are wrapped in wads of toilet paper and then submerged in a sink full of soapy water, which, ultimately, gets abandoned for an hour or more—y'know, typical stuff. Needless to say, it tends to drain slowly from time to time, and every few months, when my husband or I notice that water is moving slower than a tortoise, we go at it with baking soda and vinegar. Far cheaper and much safer for your pipes (and the environment), this technique is effective for kitchen and bathroom clogs and is—I do confess—kind of fun!

For 1 use
  • 1 cup baking soda
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • Boiling water

    1. Remove the drain cover. (Many drain covers thread into the drain, so try unscrewing it by turning it to the left.)

    2. Using a cloth or paper towel, dry inside of the sink or tub.

    3. Pour baking soda down the drain, followed by the vinegar. The mixture will foam vigorously.

    4. Allow baking soda and vinegar to remain for about 5 minutes.

    5. Carefully, pour several cups of boiling water down the drain. This should clear it.
    • Published 04/03/2018
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