Homemade Natural Drain Cleaners
Natural Drain Cleaners
Every now and then a drain will clog and the water will back up. Then you have to reach your hand into really gross water and make sure the drain plug isn't closed. Nobody likes that!
What would you normally do? Run and get a bottle of Draino or Liquid Plumber? Not here my friends! In the land of green housekeeping we don't even consider those! So what's a person to do with a clogged drain in a world where those nasty chemicals don't exist?
Have no fear my green friends! There are some really great natural drain cleaners that you can easily make at home to unclog that drain! The first recipe is good for maintenance and light clogs, meaning a slow drain. The second recipe is for the really clogged, no-way out drains! Both are very simple and inexpensive to make and use. Enjoy!
For the Simple Drain Cleaner you will need:
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 1 gallon of water
Heat the water and dissolve the salt into it. The water does not need to boil, it just needs to be hot. Pour the hot salt water down the drain. That's all there is to it! Easy isn't it?
For the Stronger Drain Cleaner you will need:
- 1 cup of salt
- 1 cup of baking soda
- 1/2 cup of vinegar
- 1 gallon of boiling water
Mix the salt and baking soda together, be sure to break up baking soda clumps. Pour the salt and baking soda mixture down the drain. After they are in the drain pour the vinegar into the drain. Let this mixture sit in the drain for 15 minutes and then flush the drain with the boiling water.
Now a few things to be aware of when using these cleaners.
- Be careful when using the boiling water if you have plastic pipes, it can break the seals and melt the pipes.
- Do not use the stronger method immediately after using a commercial grade drain cleaner, the vinegar can react to the commercial cleaner and cause very dangerous fumes to come out of the pipes and into your home!
I hope you find these tips useful in creating your cleaner, greener home! Happy cleaning!