Do you know any tricks to unclog a drain without having to call a plumber?
TIA!

Try pouring a few gallons of boiling hot water down your drain.

Snake as far as you can.

Have you tried the power uncloggers for sale? They supposedly work.

You're clog could be beyond anything you can do and a plumber with a power snake may be needed.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: M-ma,

Where is the drain? Kitchen or bathroom? I find bathroom drains get gummed up with shaving cream, toothpaste, hair and whatnot but it isn't usually the trap but the leader pipe to the trap. This thing here http://www.lowes.com/pd_161219...Bcleaning&facetInfo= can really help get the crud out of the drain. Removing the stopper and pouring some baking soda down the drain followed by white vinegar can help loosen the crud followed by hot/boiling water. I usually do the baking soda/vinegar thing a couple of time a year to keep the drain cleared. I've pulled the trap on these sinks and they were clean, the tail pipe from the sink bottom to the trap was always the problem, if not there beyond the trap could be a problem. This can also help blast stuff out especially when it is beyond the trap. http://www.lowes.com/pd_24344-...Bcleaning&facetInfo=

My husband was always going to the store to get a rented plumber"s "snake". At least once a year our drain line would plug up. The guy at the store gave us this advice.."Every couple of months, pour cloryx bleach (about 1/2 gallon) down the drain and see if that helps". We have been doing it and haven't needed a plumber's snake for at least three years.

Caution: If you are on a septic tank, do not pour that much bleach down your drain at one time. You take a risk of killing the good bacteria and turning the tank's contents into sludge.

Boiling water can often work well as a starting point.

If you use a proper sized plunger on the bath sink or tub drain, be sure to duct tape off the overflow hole, or no pressure behind the plunge. Also plungers work the best if the sink or tub is full of water, as there is weight and water pressure behind the plunge.

baking soda and vinegar .It will fizz up and clean the drain and make it smell fresh .Great for garbage disposals also .Put ice in garbage disposal to sharpen blades also .

I just had a slow drain problem in my kitchen sink...turned out to be the automatic vent thingy was getting clogged up. Once I cleaned it out...all is well.

we use baking soda and vinegar for "light cleaning and stinky drains...have a snake for heavy duty stuff...but they can only go so far...do you have a lot of trees in the yard? roots can invade older pipes...in that case a plumber can be a last resort...

For sure, roots can be an issue that can get into the main drain line.

My advice (should this be the case) is to always call a drain cleaner company, not a plumber. They do this everyday of the week and will be less costly because it takes them less time than a plumber, whom only does it occasionally.

Sink in main bathroom was draining VERY slowly. Coud screw cap off thing that stops up drain when you want it, but piece going down into drain wouldn't come out... others just twisted about a half turn and pulled out. Was afraid to really PULL on it for fear of a need for a major repair. Tried several applications of drain cleaner... no real results? Used a bamboo skewer (like for on BBQ) and just poked and poked and poked. COuld feel resistence. EVentually whatever gross stuff was in drain let loose of sides of pipe and went away. Then a good dose of drain cleaner.

I like the drain auger because you can pull up whatever is clogging the drain as opposed to pushing it down the pipe further. If you just push the clog further down the pipe the clog will still be in the pipes beyond the reach of a homeowner's auger.. Then you have to call a plumber or drain cleaning, aka, rooter company because they have the motorized long auger. Any plumber worth their salt will try to pull the clog up first before pushing it all way down the pipes to the main sewer line.

Our shower started draining slow twice. Once a squirrel had dropped a walnut down the vent. We were able to pull up the walnut with the auger. Another time we had a soap and hair clog that we were able to pull up. The clog of hair was so large it looked liked someone had stuffed a possum down the drain.

Oh, please with the septic tank and bleach.
1200-1500 gallons of "water" in a septic tank.
1/2 gallon of bleach will kill the bacteria in that large a tank?
Really!


If skeptical, toss in a couple of cakes of yeast and bacteria will grow and grow.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: M-ma,

Bathroom basin or shower? kitchen sink?
If baking soda & vinegar followed by copious amounts of water doesn't work, before calling a plumber try the new drain cleaner that comes with a small "snake" and follow the directions.
If it's the kitchen sink and you have a garbage disposal, the disposal might be the problem. My handyman only charged $20 to install a new garbage disposal.

quote:

The clog of hair was so large it looked liked someone had stuffed a possum down the drain.

Too funny! thanks for the chuckle, still tryin.
When our bathroom basin began draining slowly, I removed the stopper and removed a hair ball about the size of a mouse

Not all septic tanks are that big--ours is much smaller!
I put boiling water down drain (1cp) after the baking soda then wait a few minutes and THEN put the vinegar down--and man does it clean the sink!

GOOD LUCK!

I use hot vinegar in my tub drain. I think it breaks down the shampoo and soap that act like glue in a hair clog. Anyway, it works.

But I'd hesitate to boil the vinegar. I'd worry that, over time, boiled liquid might break down the glue and putty used to connect the pipes and fixtures. Even a tiny leak could become a small disaster. But I could be wrong ---I'm no plumber.

Had a problem with main line clog last fall. Found a cleaner that really works and opens main sewer and lateral lines. Poured cleaner (just befor going to bed) into the lowest drain in my house which was the bathtub. I used a funnel to pour into drain making sure that I didn't pour more than would remain in the pipe and not come into contact with any other material. I left it in overnight and also made sure that I didn't have any water (from sinks, toilet, washer, etc.)go into the line). So I wasn't able to use any facilities or flush commode after using. Next morning flushed line with Hot water and clog was gone. Product is Instant Power Main Line Cleaner by Scotch Corporation. Used product as directed and have not had a problem since. Also recommended this to a friend just last week and after she used it had the same great results I had. We did not have to use a snake and better yet -- NO PLUMBER. This company also makes a drain cleaner for clogs due to hair but I have not had to use it....short hair. Best of all, other than saving on a big plumber bill, the company guarantees the product to work or it's free. Safe for PVC and septic tanks when used as directed.

As a landlord, I've cleared many drains without calling a plumber. My first attack is with a plunger. Many people don't know that you have to plug up the overflow holes with a rag before plunging. So, plug up the overflow, run some water into the sink, and plunge like crazy. It might work. If not, snake. Also, it's not that difficult to take off the trap from a bathroom sink. If it's old and corroded, though, don't try it because sometimes they fall apart. Hope this helps a couple of people.