Did you know that some Feng Shui masters say that clogged drains deplete finances, health, aspirations, travel, clog sinuses, and simply, wreak havoc in general. I don’t know about you……..but a clogged drain can be rather pesky and annoying, not to mention, rather costly if you have to call in a plumber.
So to keep my life running smoothly, both literally and metaphorically, I look in my kitchen pantry for all the ingredients I need to unclog my pipes and I can do it without causing damage to the environment or my pocket book!
Unclog a drain with Baking Soda and Vinegar
- Pour 3/4-1 cup of baking soda in the drain.
- Pour 1/2 cup vinegar in the drain and immediately cover the drain (I use a plug or set a plate over it – you want to keep everything inside the drain)
- Leave everything to sit and work for about 30 mins (don’t use the sink during this time)
- After 30 mins, remove the cover and let hot water run thru the pipes for about 2-3 mins.
- for really tough clogs you may need to repeat – but I find if I do this on a regular basis (about once a month) it keeps my drains clear and fresh with out any problems.
Likewise, I do something very similar to keep drains fresh. Especially good for seldom used drains.
Freshen Drains with Baking Soda and Vinegar
- Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup table salt and pour down drain
- Follow by pouring 1 cup of heated vinegar down the drain (it will foam and bubble)
- Let it sit for 15 minutes
- After 15 minutes run hot tap water for 30-60 seconds.
Baking soda and vinegar are the foundation of DIY cleaning! It’s really that simple. For just pennies you can keep your drains and home fume free by using baking soda and vinegar instead of harsh chemicals or calling the plumber.
This is just one of many ways to save money by using baking soda around your house. To save even more, head over to Arm & Hammer’s Savings Center to print out a $0.50 off coupon on your next purchase of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda!
I’m participating in The Switch & Save Challenge, trying a variety of Arm & Hammer products and sharing my experiences with you!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Church & Dwight Co., Inc, the maker of ARM & HAMMER branded products, who is compensating me to try different products. Save 50¢ off two 2lb or 4lb boxes of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. And be sure to visit The Switch & Save Challenge to tap into more resources and enter to win $25,000.
About TidyMom
I do this all the time girl. Two of my most FAV products. People always look at me all weird when I stock up on them at Costco, or Sams, he he.
Hugs, Bella
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THANK YOU for posting this, Cheryl!! We have a stubborn bathtub drain that I’ve been Drain-o-ing (is that even a word??) about every other month since we moved in. I love that this is way cheaper & better for the environment! Thank you! I’m off to try this in our bathtub today!!
I pour nearly boiling vinegar down the tub drains about once every two weeks. I will try the baking soda addition. Also half a cup of vinegar poured into a stained porcelain toilet removed the brown stains in the bottom (in someone else’s home). Took about a month of constant treating to do the job. The vinegar was being used to disinfect a urinal. The cleaned toilet was an unexpected benefit. (The final vinegar rinse was not flushed away and voila, things were clean, sparkling and white again.)
I, too, have a clogged bathtub. I am going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing!!
Yep this works wonderfully!
I actually need to do this to my master bath again!
xoxo
This is SUCH a cool idea. Thanks for sharing
I’ve never tried vinegar for clogs, I just go get em outright.
But an FYI for anyone who uses Drain-O or any other clog busting chemical, they eventually eat away at rubber seals. The same goes for those little clean tabs people keep in their toilet tank. A leaky throne could be a result of incessant blue water.
Agreed! Used the bleach tabs in our toilets all the time. Eventually had problems with them leaking, not flushing correctly, and constant running. Had to replace the inner seals & flapper. Still have occasional problems.
My New Arsenal!
I had a drain issue in my kitchen sink last week and found your tutorial via pinterest.. I’m still talking about it..it’s so simple, green (and fun) and WORKS! I’m grabbing loads of these items! Thanks for making it easy! … AND I found Tidymom! I am such an amateur and am soaking in all the tips!
I tried this in my kitchen and it worked very well. But, my bathroom sink is like the one pictured in the picture above. How do you “pour” the baking soda down there? I feel really dumb! Can you pull that stopper out? I’m afraid to try, I don’t want to break anything. Please help! Thanks
Usually, those stoppers will unscrew to be removed. Try turning it counterclockwise and then pulling gently. Works on mine!
Try creasing a piece of paper and stick the end of it between the drain and the stopper. Then use this like a “slide” for the baking soda!
WOW, I did this and pulled that little sucker out of there….no wonder I have been sick with a sinus infection….so GROSS! I do not want to put it back in….do I have to????
Great idea! I am like the woman above…1923 era house with original plumbing! I have to use drano ALL THE TIME in one bathroom…going right now to see if it works… fingers crossed… I am hoping to not have to buy $8.00 worth of drain cleaner ever again!
I tried this and wrote about it here. For some reason it did not make the drain run any better than before. Oh well. I’m glad I gave it a try, even if it didn’t work out.
omigoodness this has got to be SO much better for the Earth!
I just tried this on my seriously clogged bathroom sink drain. I could only get half the baking soda own the drain, it was so clogged up. When I poured in the vinegar, boy did things start to happen…After the 30 minutes I poured the hot water down…VOILA!! A free running drain..a miracle to say the least. This really works!!!
We live in a house that is over 100 years old and has the old cast iron plumbing. Our main drain backs up about 3 times a year. I’ve used this “recipe” time and time again but other than some gurgling and foaming, I don’t get the results that I hope for. Plumber has been out numerous times (to do a cleanout annually and then solve our backup issues the other two times each year). Very little comes out of the drain. Not sure what the issues is so I’m thinking about having a plumbing contractor take a camera down the pipes. Pricey job, but better than going to the most extreme of extremes without trying all other things first. If anyone has any ideas, please email me.
Thank you.
When you say very little comes out of the drain, I’m assuming you mean he pulls nothing back on the machine cable such as roots. If he pulls back mud, you have a collapsed line. Very common for cast iron lines that are old. I worked for a plumbing company and we dealt with this often. Especially with the older homes around town. Replacement of the line can be costly considering they will need to dig up your yard, remove the old pipe & replace with new. On average it was usually around $1500-2K.
Of course it also helps to keep grease out of your kitchen drain. It can wreak havoc very quickly. Don’t flush feminine products or sanitary wipes (even though they may say flushable). If you don’t think the problem is roots or collapsed line, maybe you should camera the line. Something might be hung up in there and collecting debris, thus periodically causing backup.
This is a great remedy. Can I use this in a drain with a garbage disposal attached, do you think?
Is this safe to use on septic drains?
Thanks!!! I will be trying this tonight!!
Just unstopped my shower drain with baking soda and vinegar. Yea, no more standing in dirty bath water!!! Thanks TidyMom!
this worked so well!! I wasn’t able to use the same amount in the drain at first because it was so clogged, but after a few minutes it worked like a charm!! my drains have never drained so quick since we’ve moved in! I will definitely be doing this every month now, thanks for sharing!
I just poured it in my utility sink. I was doing laundry yesterday and it overflowed all over the place due to a slow running drain. I hope it works! I will say it was pretty cool watching the baking soda foam up from the vinager.
I was wondering if anyone has used this one there LAUNDRY DRAIN?
Usually have to stock up on draino, and I can’t wait to try this!
A wise neighbor taught me an extra little trick to go along with the vinegar and baking soda in our clogged bathtub drain: she grabbed my “Korky” brand plunger and gave the drain a few quick, strong pumps. We had previously unscrewed the drain screen, and this method worked wonders! Be prepared for what the plunger evacuates…it’s not pretty. But, Wow ~ no harm to the environment, the 80-year old pipes, or our lungs. Try adding a bit of elbow grease via plunger next time the vinegar/baking soda seems slow.
I just tried this, took 2 times but the drain is clear!