Cleaning blocked drains is a dirty job and a real headache, only made worse by the potent and potentially dangerous chemicals in the products available to unblock your pipes
Blocked drains are a smelly nuisance that can affect every home.
Cleaning them is a dirty job and a real headache, only made worse by the potent and potentially dangerous chemicals in the products available to unblock your pipes. Not to mention the adverse effect on the environment many of these can cause.
Kitchen drains have to cope with food particles, grease and oil being chucked down them numerous times on a daily basis, which results in hard clogs forming in pipes leading from the sink. While bathroom plugs have a delightful combination of soap scum, hair and goodness knows what else trying to escape down the narrow passages.
Leaving blockages untreated can result in nasty aromas, being unable to even use sinks as the water backs up in front of the grime and eventually costly remedies using professional companies. Traditionally plungers have been used but they can be messy and physically hard work and shouldn’t never be used in conjunction with cleaning products in case the chemicals are splashed around.
The strongest products on the market can do a good job of dissolving sludge and hair but they can be expensive and are usually highly toxic.
Those favouring less harsh and more eco-friendly options may opt for the trusty baking soda trick, which when mixed with vinegar and water and poured down drains in between two doses of boiling water can do the job – but it may struggle on tougher blockages and hot water can sometimes exacerbate the issue.
Plumbing experts at Flowtec have issued a stark warning about the dangers of pouring hot water down your drains, cautioning: “Be aware that when pouring hot water, this can push the clog deeper into your pipes, making the clog more difficult to reach.”
Instead, they’ve dished out a savvy tip for those struggling with stubborn blockages where a plunger just won’t cut it. They recommend using a plumber’s snake, a nifty tool described as acting “like a colonoscopy” for your drains.
This flexible auger is essentially a metal cable with coils of wire and gaps in between, designed to break up hair clumps and other debris, while also snagging any blockages and scrubbing the pipe’s inner surface. After using the snake, running water through the drain will reveal if the issue has been resolved or if further action is needed.
However, the experts urge that this method should only be attempted “if you are confident in using machinery-otherwise, it’s worth calling in a professional.”
