Learn how to clear stubborn drain clogs without damaging the environment
By Michael Smith (Veshengro)
So, your sink is blocked, seriously blocked. What now? Most people would now reach for the bleach or the lye-based stuff to clear out the clog. It is the easiest way and one that involves the least amount of time and effort on our part.
But let's not pretend that that chemical stuff dissipates the clog as if by magic and with magic somewhere in the pipework below sink and that's it. But that is not so. The stuff goes right into the waste water stream and if you happen to have a septic tank or use graywater irrigation then that will go straight into that. In a septic tank it can cause issues and with graywater irrigation even more so.
So, what to do if we don't want to harm the environment? Let's look at unclogging the drain the environmentally friendly way, shall we...
There are a few ways to clear clogs the environmentally conscious way:
The plunger is one example, and one that often does the trick in no time. While the plunger might be kind of gross, it is a sustainable, reusable tool that doesn't put some chemical poisons in our water supply. It creates suction and forces open the clog. In most cases, this device is your go-to guy when it comes to clearing small clogs. Many clogs are caused by hairs on the stopper. If this is the case, remove the stopper and clean it off.
If the clog is too tough to be broken apart by the plunger and non-toxic elbow grease, you may want to try the old volcano recipe you learned in grade school. Take one-fourth cup baking soda and one cup vinegar and dump this solution over the offending clog. Follow with a pot full of boiling water. Let this stand for 15 minutes. If the drain did not clear, try plunging again. It is possible that the vinegar-baking soda combination has loosened it.
If this fails, and and the drain remains clogged then it is time to look under the sink. There you will find the drain pipes and just below the sink there is the U-bend pipe which, theoretically, is either just an U-bend or has a so-called trap fitted. Bfore you remove the U-bend or the trap put a bucket under the pipe. You don't want to have to clean up what falls out of there. Take off the pipe and clean it out. You can probably compost any gunk you find in there.
If all these things fail then, unfortunately, it is time to call a plumber. At this point, it is doubtful that any liquid drain-clearing agents, bar, maybe, spirits of salt (something I would not want to use for its corrosiveness), will do the trick. You'll need professional help. Your problem then could lie outside your house where, more than likely, grease and whatever else, has bound together and is blocking the passage to the sewers or the septic tank.
If you are confident that you can do it yourself then it is worth attempting but only, and let me stress that again, if you know what you are doing. If not you could do damage and that could be costly. Get a plumber instead.
© 2011
