Keep the plumber away- Natural Homemade Drain Cleaner
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Unclogging drains with baking soda and vinegar, without using chemicals. Natural Homemade Drain Cleaner is easier than you think and way less expensive.
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.
Check Your Pantry for Natural Homemade Drain Cleaner
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 pocketbook!
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 the 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 Natural Homemade Drain Cleaner, 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!
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CLICK HERE FOR MORE TIPS FOR A TIDY HOME
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. I have used baking soda and vinegar to clean my drains for years!
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
As a wife, mom, and caffeine enthusiast, my journey has taken me from bustling mornings with my family to sharing delicious recipes, home care tips, and heartfelt decorating insights with wonderful readers like you. My love for baking, photography, and tidiness shines through every post I craft. Dive into my world and discover the art of homemaking, one tidy moment at a time. Read more...
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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 🙂
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.)
What if you have a clogged toilet(not just stained), will the baking soda and vinegar work to unclog?
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!
This might sound stupid…but does apple cider vinegar work? Or does it have to be the white
Does anyone know if this will harm the finish on a dark bronze drain?
I sure don’t, but maybe you could check with the manufacture?
Omg! What do I do? My sink is clogged after doing this!!! Ahhhhh! I’m plunging and its not working. I wanna cry now. Help!
Try a pot of boiling water…worked for me!
I had no luck with this environmentally friendly drain unclogged! I did it the 1st time No luck 2nd time no luck……matter of fact it was just slow to drain….now completely clogged…had to call a plumber. Why.???? I am really sad about it
I’m very happy I found your site. I was watching a talk so in June 2012 and they had this method! Only when I went to the site a few weeks later (when I was ready to try it) they did not have it posted! Grrr! I found your site searching “How to clean dishwashers” on Google (which I will do tomorrow!). On your Featured Posts scroll I saw this one! THANK YOU!
Does this clear out hair from the shower drain??
This is a genius idea. I’m going to try it today!!
This is the best tip I’ve tried from the wonderful world of pinterest! My sink was pretty clogged so after letting the baking soda and vinegar sit I rinsed with a pot of boiling water before letting my hot water run from the faucet. There was this great moment of anticipation as the sink continued to fill with water…then suddenly all the water was sucked down the drain! My skeptic husband was shocked – he was fully prepared to have to save the day with his $8 liquid snake! Our home is older and when we had a plumber out for another issue, he actually recomomended doing this once a month to help erode some of the buildup that happens over time. Great tip…huge money and headache saver…thank you!!
Great tip! I was actually headed to pick up some Drain-O today, but I am excited to try this cheaper and environmentally-safe method instead.
I’m sure the results will depend on what’s clogging the drain. In th case of vinegar and baking soda, it’s the bubbling action as they neutralize each other that loosens the clog material. There is some pressure generated too, as carbon dioxide (CO2) is released. That’s what the bubbling is. I’m going to try this method as soon as I get another stopper. Kitchen, dual sink.
Follow-up:
SUCCESS!!! This works, people. In my case, I could only dribble water into our kitchen sink without it backing up. I tried “professional strength” cleaners multiple times that didn’t touch it.
I found that it was a pain getting the baking soda down the drain, so I used a basting brush to work it down. I put a half cup in each side, closed one side off with the stopper, and was ready with the other one. Poured the vinegar down the open drain and closed it off quickly. I followed up with a little more vinegar a couple of times to make sure the baking soda was well used in each side. I had to hold the stoppers down to keep the pressure in, and did so for 5 or 10 minutes each dose of vinegar. I did this twice. The kitched drain has never drained as freely – ever! Thank you, Tidy Mom!
OMG This worked like MAGIC!
My daughter said yesterday “mommy our sink and dishwasher smell nasty” so this morning after taking them to school I got on Pinterest to look up how to clean them…. I found Tidymom! Wow your methods really work, I can’t wait till she gets home so I can show her how clean and fresh the sink and dishwasher are now! Thanks Tidymom!!!
Is this method safe for older pipes? Just wondering if the chemical reaction is too abrasive?
Great & easy tips, thank you!
Will this solution harm oil rubbed bronze sink/bathtub drain covering?
I was googling natural drain cleaner this morning and found this site. turns out when I have tried this before I did not keep the drain covered & ran the water too soon. Tried it today on my bathtub drain that gets full of my long hair. I use a wood chopstick to push the baking soda down the drain as the drain cover does not come off at all. The water drained faster after I let the vinegar & soda sit. did the job twice. I will try the paper slide method when I do it again in 4 weeks as that might be a little easier than the method I was doing w/ the chopstick.
I haven’t made this drain cleaner yet, but I found the “recipe” on pinterest and got interested in your blog. I look forward to making it – it *has* to be less toxic than actual drain-o. Does it help unclog hair, etc. in the bathtub drain as well?
Also, please feel free to check out my blog as well, I’m trying to increase my own readership. =)
Wow! Baking soda is AMAZING. You can also mix a little into your shampoo to help clean impurities from your hair! Thanks for the tip!
This did not work for my sink. I followed directions to the letter. Some black gunk came up and then the drain ran even more slowly. Now it’s back to the same slowness that it was prior to doing this 🙁
Do you know how the baking soda and vinegar will effect septic tanks? I got my drain unstopped, also used the plunger. Will go put boiling water down in just a few. Let me know. Thank you.
I have used this recipe for five years and love it! My late grandmother used it to clean the drains. She never told me how she heard of the recipe but loved it. I used to use the liquid snake products that are chemically manufactured. Those products didn’t work nearly as well as the natural chemistry of vinegar and soda. I love this recipe. Thanks from my family for sharing this with the world. Together we can do our part in reducing our footprint.
I use this on my bathroom sink. I think it was clogged from me using the oil cleansing method on my face. I unscrewed the top and it worked like a charm. I used something similar on my toilet. My daughter used to use about a roll of toilet paper when she pooped. Nasty disgusting water after she flushed and it would fill with water to top of toilet. I used baking soda and vinegar, let sit for 15 minutes, poured boiling water in , plunged a few times flushed and all gone! Stains, smell and all. Great stuff!
Hmmm… I tried this on a slow drain and it didn’t help… maybe I didn’t do it properly? I put about a cup of baking soda in the drain, poured in the vinegar, plugged it, left it for 30-40 minutes, ran hot water… still slow to drain. Any ideas? Or other natural solutions? I’ve become allergic/sensitive to almost every household cleaning product the last few years so ‘natural’ seems to work best. I use baking soda and/or vinegar (sometimes with essential oils) all over the house and it’s been great.
I have a stopper in the drain that will not come out, how do I get the baking soda down.
I have a drain with stopper in it & will not come out, how do I get the baking soda down it?
Yeah baking soda will definitely works even at the time of tough situations. Some more home made tips that can be useful for unblocking are: Vinegar: Tried and true method: Remove as much liquid as you can. Toss in 1 cup of baking soda, then pour down a cup of household vinegar, plug with the stopper then let sit for half an hour. After about 30 minutes, unplug and pour a kettle full of hot water on top. One of the easiest tips for preventing blocked drains is to carry out regular hot water rinsing. With the aid of your faucets, run a steady stream of hot water down your sink and bathtub drains on a weekly basis. This will help wash away any caked-on hairs, as well as other forms of drain-based debris, before they’re able to build up and form clogs.
Now that you helped me clean out the drains in the kitchen/bathroom, do you have something to clean out roots from the sewer lines? Sure do hope so! Thanks much..
After trying several store bought gels and liquids recommended by the “experts” the vinegar and baking powder solved my master shower problem. I can finally use the master bathtub again.Everything I needed was already in my pantry. THANK YOU,THANK YOU………!