There's a gurgle in the drainunpleasant smellspreads and the water does not drain properly: three important alarm signals before a standstill. If the drain is blocked, you shouldn't resort to chemical cleaners straight away. Certain home remedies can also help and loosen the deposits.
Drain clogged: pipe blockage in the kitchen
If leftover foodget into the drain, this can quickly lead to pipe blockages. Fat deposits and flour can also have a similar effect. Fortunately, such blockages can be solved fairly easily.
Pipe cleaner made from salt, vinegar and baking soda dissolves food residue
If the water no longer drains, a home remedy can help quickly and reliably. All you need is salt, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Proceed as follows:
- First remove the standing water.
- Pour four tablespoons of baking soda and four tablespoons of salt down the drain one at a time. Then shake in about 150 ml of white wine vinegar.
- Allow the home remedy to take effect for 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring 1 liter of water to the boil and use it to rinse the drain.
Unclog a clogged sink with washing soda
If the kitchen sink is clogged and baking soda doesn't help, you may want to try washing soda (sodium carbonate). To do this, pour 3-4 tablespoons of washing soda into the drain and shake 150 ml of vinegar.
When a suction cup makes sense and when you shouldn't use it
A suction cup proves to be particularly effective, especially when the water does not drain away at all. However, if you have PVC pipes, you should not use the suction cup. The alternating excess and negative pressure can damage the pipe connections.
Klarspüler als Grease remover
If the water can at least drain slowly, you can use a rinse aid. It dissolves grease and dirt quickly and reliably. Simply shake 50 ml of rinse aid and 300 ml of boiling water down the drain, leave to act briefly and then rinse with hot water.
If the shower or bathtub drain is clogged
If hair clogs the drain in the shower or bathtub, a denture cleaner can help. Simply shake 50 ml of denture cleaner into the drain and then rinse with boiling water. If you have access to the drain from above, you can also remove the hair manually.
If your sink is clogged, you can also use cola
Unlike the shower or bathtub, you don't always have direct access to the drain in the sink. In this case, Cola proves to be a very effective home remedy. Shake 2 liters of Coke down the drain to loosen stubborn clogs.
However, you should only use cola if the water doesn't drain at all or drains very slowly. Because the drink leaves sticky traces to which hair and soap residue then stick.
If the drain gurgles: salt
If the drain gurgles, it's a sure sign of a blockage. Since the water still drains away easily, a home remedy can help quickly and effectively. Pour 2 tablespoons of salt into the drain and leave for about 1-2 hours. Then rinse with hot, preferably boiling, water.
Can you clean a clogged drain with a spiral?
You can also use a spiral to clear a clogged drain. However, the experts advise against it. The
Neutralize drain odor in the bathroom
A clogged drain is a breeding ground for bacteria. As the microorganisms decompose the substances, an odor is released. Luckily, all of the home remedies listed above can not only clear the blockage, but also clear the drain.
Dishwasher tablets prove to be particularly effective against odors. You can dissolve two tabs in 3 liters of water. Shake the solution down the drain, wait about 10 minutes, then rinse with hot water. You can repeat this process every two to three weeks.
Drain in the wall blocked, what should you do?
If the drain in the wall is blocked, you should not resort to home remedies at first. Even a pipe cleaner from the supermarket can cause more damage than actually help. In some cases, a cleaning coil could clear the blockage. However, caution is advised when using it as you may damage the pipe.
If there is a blocked drain in the wall, tenants should not do anything but contact the landlord. Owners should consult a professional immediately. It has special pressure cleaning devices that can be used to remove even the most stubborn blockages.
Drain blocked by wall paint: A common cause of pipe blockages
That the leftover wall paintfrom the last renovationMost people are already aware that it shouldn't be shaken down the drain. Nevertheless, pipes often become blocked due to wall paint. Especially if you rinse the brushes and paint rollers under running water, paint residue ends up in the drain. And these can clog it.
Then the question arises: what should you do? Shaking thinner and turpentine down the drain is strictly forbidden and very dangerous. However, you can try to loosen the blockage with a suction cup.
