The drains in your house are responsible for clearing out the wastewater down the pipes. If any blockage appears in your drains, it can lead to several issues. Some signs of a blocked drain include unpleasant drain smells, high water levels in the toilet, overflowing drains, gurgling sounds, and many more. 

A drain can get clogged due to several reasons. Aging and broken pipes, too much hair in the shower drain, or too many sanitary items being flushed down the toilet, the reasons for a blocked drain can be endless. 

A blocked drain can lead to several issues and can be a threat to your property. Any sudden influx of dirty water can cause serious damage. So, whenever you find your drains are blocked you need to take proper and quick action. One solution is to connect with an ontstopping loodgieter (unblocking plumber). But before you do that, consider some DIY methods as discussed below. 

Use Boiling Water

Boiling water is one of the easiest and safest ways to clear blocked drains. Though it’s not certain that boiling water will clear heavy blockages, it is generally useful to clear minor blockages out of your slow operating drains. 

However, practice caution when using boiling water for flushing. It is most useful when you have metal pipes. If you have PVC pipes, using boiling water may soften the pipes and joints. So, in that scenario, you can use warm water or water that has a similar temperature to your hot water tap. 

Use boiling or warm water and flush it down your drains to check if the blockage is gone for good.

Use Homemade Drain Cleaner

You’ll find a lot of commercial drain cleaners in the market but be aware that most commercial drain cleaners have a specific purpose and treat a specific type of blockage. For that reason, you’ll do well if you use a homemade drain cleaner. You’ll need some baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water, and you can use this mix as your homemade drain cleaning solution. 

Pour a cup of baking soda down the blocked drain. Now pour two cups of boiling water and leave the drain for a few minutes. Next, add a cup of white vinegar followed by a cup of baking soda and immediately plug the drain. 

You should immediately hear a fizzling sound as bubbles begin to form. Once the bubbles recede, pour another two cups of boiling water down the pipe. Repeat the process if needed.

Use a Plunger

If the above two processes fail to unclog your drains, you can free up your blocked drains using a cup plunger. These plungers consist of a flat rubber suction pump on the base of a solid pipe. It is specifically designed for sinks, showers, and drains with flat surfaces. Also, the cup is wide enough to cover the drain hole completely. 

When you plunge the drain, it will use the forces of compression and suction to clear it. Whenever you pull up the plunger, it will pull the water within the drain upwards and consequently help in loosening anything that is blocking the drain. When you push it downwards, water will be forced downwards as well. This up and down motion will help move the clog and free it from anything that is blocking the drains. 

Use a Drain Snake

Sometimes, it’s the hair, soap debris, and other smaller things that clog your drains. If you’re sure that this is the reason behind your drain clog, you can use a drain snake available at your nearest hardware store. 

First, remove the drain protector and clear out as much clog as you can using your hands. Now, slowly push down the drain snake into your drain until you come across a blockage. Now use the drain snake to bring up all the clogs and flush the drain. Repeat the process if necessary.

These are the DIY ways to unclog your drains. You can use these techniques to unclog your drains yourself. However, if these processes fail, you can always connect with an ontstopping loodgieter (unblocking plumber) who will have the expertise and equipment to clear any clogs that are bothering you.