How to clean drain pipes with vinegar and soda

If sewer pipes become clogged, in most cases it is not necessary to seek the help of plumbers. First, you can try to clean the sewer yourself. To do this, you need only table vinegar and soda.

During operation, a layer of dirt forms on the walls of the home sewer system over time, which can completely block the drain. In this case, soda and vinegar for cleaning pipes will come in handy. They will allow you to independently cope with the disaster, without resorting to the help of plumbers.

Why is the sewer clogged

Over time, the lumen of the sewer pipes decreases, and the water goes into the sewer worse. The reason for this is usually fat, detergents, food debris deposited on the walls of the drain pipes. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, precipitation from all kinds of dirt can completely block the drain. Even if you replace metal sewer pipes with modern plastic ones, it still will not save you from this trouble.

Most often, blockage occurs in the kitchen under the sink, a little less often - in the bath. The toilet drain is clogged much less often and the reason for this is usually objects that accidentally fall into it: diapers, rags, hygiene items, bags. If the water has completely ceased to go into the sewer, then most likely you will have to pick up a special cable and clean the drains mechanically or seek help from specialists. But it is better to clean the pipes in a timely manner when the first signs of clogging appear.

We clean the pipes with soda and vinegar

If the water began to slowly drain into the sewer or an unpleasant odor appeared near the sink or bathtub, these are the first signs that the sewer must be cleaned without waiting until the blockage completely blocks the drain pipes.

You can clean the sewer using improvised tools that are available in almost any kitchen, without resorting to special chemicals sold in hardware stores. Perfectly remove various sediments from the inner walls of the drain table vinegar and baking soda.

It is advisable to disassemble and clean the siphons under the sink and bath before cleaning the pipes. These devices are used to collect various waste - fat, pieces of food, washed off plates and other small debris falling into the drain. In addition, water located in the bend of the siphon (water lock) does not allow unpleasant odors from the sewer to enter the apartment. It is good if siphons with screwed cups are installed. This greatly simplifies and speeds up the work.

Before disassembling the siphon, it is necessary to install a container under it to drain dirty water and settled dirt from the sump.

After cleaning and assembling the siphons, it is possible to use soda and vinegar to clean the sewer pipes from precipitation. To do this, you will need:

• Baking soda at the rate of 1/2 box per drain.
• Vinegar - approximately 100 ml per drain.
• Kettle with boiling water.
• A rag or cloth that can tightly plug the drain hole.

It is necessary to work in rubber gloves. Safety glasses that will protect against accidental splashes will not be out of place. Vinegar is quite aggressive and can cause severe burns to the skin and mucous membranes.

After all the ingredients are prepared, you can begin the cleaning process.

1. About half a packet of dry baking soda should be poured into the drain hole. Do not mix it with water or any other liquid.
2. After that, there you need to pour about 100-150 ml of vinegar.It is advisable that it be warm. To do this, the container with this acid must be placed in hot water or heated in a microwave.
3. Quickly plug the drain hole with a prepared rag so that the foam formed as a result of the reaction of soda with vinegar is distributed inside the pipe, rather than going out.
4. This mixture must be kept in the drain for half an hour to dissolve the precipitation. During this time, you need to boil the kettle.
5. After the specified time, remove the rag and slowly pour all the boiling water from the kettle into the drain hole.

If, after cleaning, the water still does not leave well enough, this means that the blockage is not completely removed and the pipes must be re-cleaned.

Other methods of cleaning the drain with improvised means

You can clean the sewer from clogging with other improvised means, but the efficiency will be slightly lower than in the previous way.

• You can clean the drain with soda and sodium chloride. They are poured into the drain hole in half a glass, poured with boiling water and left for 8-10 hours. It is impossible to use the sewerage during the specified period.
• Instead of vinegar, you can use lemon juice or citric acid to clean the sewers.
• You can do only soda. Pour a glass of dry soda into the drain and pour boiling water (about 1 liter). Rinse with water after some time.

It is unacceptable to use improvised tools immediately after cleaning the sewer with special chemical compounds purchased in the store. Compounds can be formed whose vapors are harmful to human health.

It is clear that it’s much easier and cheaper to clean the sewer pipes yourself, without waiting for a serious blockage. Therefore, if the water has begun to go worse down the drain, it means that it is time to clear the drain from the rain.