Both here in Hesperia, CA, and around the country, one of the most common jobs a Roto Rooter plumber experiences are simple pipe and drain clogs. Clogs are something that happens to everyone, at one time or another, but clogs can sometime cause big problems when they occur.
The good news is, you don’t always have to call in a specialist for many pipe and drain clogs. Besides the usual chemicals you can buy in stores, there are several Do-It-Yourself options that can often unclog a drain before you need to call in a Roto Rooter plumber to take care of it.
Ways to Fix a Clogged Drain by Yourself
Boiling Water
For relatively small clogs, the simplest ways are often the best. In many cases, simply getting a teakettle full of boiling water and pouring it down the drain is all you need. The heat causes the ball of debris to expand, loosening it and hopefully encouraging it to pass on down through the pipes.
Coat Hangers
A good technique for shower drains, where hairballs are usually the cause of clogs. Just get an old wire coat hanger, snip it open with some wire cutters, and bend one end of the wire into a small hook. Once you “go fishing,” you should be able to feel the hairball within the drain. Hook it, and pull it out.
Dish Detergent or Hair Conditioner
For some thicker clogs, the ball of debris needs to be loosened up before it will come free. Either dish detergent or hair conditioner can accomplish this easily, making the hair or other garbage slippery and less likely to stick to each other. Then follow up with hot water.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
A great alternative to harsh commercial chemicals. A mix of baking soda and vinegar creates a very mildly caustic bubbling mix which is good for breaking up clogs. Baking soda and vinegar is also quite effective for the grease and oil which is often clogging up kitchen sinks.
When DIY Methods Don’t Work, Call in The Professionals
Roto-Rooter High Desert can send you a fully-licensed Roto Rooter plumber, backed by decades of innovation and expertise in the field of plumbing. We service the Hesperia, CA, and are equipped to handle any plumbing job, large or small.
Don’t wait for the problem to go away on its own, because it probably won’t.
