Cleaning a clogged drain

A clogged drain can be an irritating and costly issue to deal with if one runs straight away to the nearest drain 

cleaning service and asks them to take care of the problem. Sure if you don't mind to spend your hard earned cash to have your problem fixed you just have to type search phrases like "drain cleaning Los Angeles" or "local drain cleaning services"  into your search engines search box and you will probably find plenty of plumbers and professionals that will advertise their services online.

But in many cases you don't have to be a technical wizard to take care of your clogged drain yourself.

With the use of a plunger, an organic drain cleaner and some hot water many blockages can be successfully removed without the help of a commercial drain cleaning service.

A blocked drain is usually caused by the build up of organic materials like grease, hair, finger- and toe nails, food scraps etc. A blocked kitchen sink or a clogged shower drain is in many cases the result of a slow accumulation of particles in the pipes. 

----------

A plunger is probably the most used tool to clear up blocked drains.

How to clear a clogged drain

When you end up with a blocked drain at home, there is no need to panic! It's time to show that you are a wo/man of action :-)

Get your plunger (available in most hardware stores), some Bokashi juice (fresh from a Bokashi composter) or baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and white vinegar and some boiling hot water.

Seal any air holes that are in your sink with strong adhesive tape. This will help to build pressure on the blocked drain and prevent water from gushing out once you apply your plunger.

Use your plunger repeatedly to see if it can build enough pressure and suction to open the clogged drain.

If this is unsuccessful you will have to add your drain cleaner. You can purchase a commercially available product but I suggest to stay away from them as they are potentially very hazardous to you as well as the environment.

Baking soda and spirit vinegar are often effective against blocked drain pipes and toilets.

Bokashi juice freshly tapped of the composter is an excellent drain cleaner and helps to prevent buildup of solids in the pipes.

Use an environmentally friendly alternative like "bokashi" juice or bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar instead.

Bokashi juice is produced in a "Bokashi kitchen composter" and is a  very potent liquid. If diluted with 100 parts of water it can be used as a liquid fertilizer for the garden. But if you want to use it to clean your drain it should be used concentrated. Bokashi juice is full of beneficial enzymes that will work on the organic materials that are blocking the drain and dissolve them.

1.)Pore a cup of Bokashi juice down the drain and let it work for an hour.

2.) Next boil some water and pore it down the drain. If you have plastic drains rather use hot water as it might otherwise harm your pipes

3.) Run some water from a tap and see if the clogged drain is fixed and the water is running freely again.

4.) If the blockage is not completely gone use the plunger again.

If necessary repeat all 4 steps again a few times.

This method usually works quite well and with a little trial and error anyone can get clogged drains to work again.

If you don't have Bokashi juice at hand use bicarbonate of soda and vinegar instead. First add the bicarbonate of soda and then the vinegar to the drain. The two substances will react with each other and the materials that are blocking the pipes. They will bubble violently. Wait for an hour and then apply steps 2 to 4 the same way as described before.

A word of caution: Be careful when using any drain cleaning products as they can be harmful if they come in contact with your eyes or with your skin. 

If your drain is still clogged after all your best efforts you still can call a professional drain cleaning service!

In order to prevent future blockages it is a good idea to regularly treat your drain pipes with Bokashi juice or bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. This will help to keep your pipes clean and prevent future clogged drains and sinks.

----------

Making money with worms is easy

-----------

Worms against climate change

-----------

Worms recycle food waste

----------

Return from the page clogged drains to the home page.

----------

Bokashi an easy way to recycle kitchen and garden waste.

-----------

Worm tea a natural plant food and pesticide.

----------

More natural ways to clear a blocked drain