Homeowners dealing with blocked drains often end up in a panic, rushing to call expensive plumbers or buying overpriced and chemically harsh solutions from the store.
These powerful concoctions can have detrimental effects on your plumbing over time and pose risks to the environment when they make their way into the watercourse.
Clare, a cleaning expert from Bust The Dust, has shared her own frugal hack which serves as a “quick and affordable fix for stubborn clogs”. She’s suggested that a sprinkle of salt added to the traditional vinegar and baking soda concoction makes it work “faster” and even claims it can outperform the store-shelf alternatives.
Her straightforward DIY unblocker recipe uses just three common kitchen items – baking soda, white vinegar, and salt. Combined, these ingredients create a fierce chemical reaction that can tackle typical blockage nasties like oil build-up, stray hairs, soap residue, and leftover food particles, reports the Express.
To apply this solution, simply pour 100g of table salt and 200g of baking soda down the drain, followed by 500ml of white vinegar. Clare assures: “You’ll immediately notice a fizzy reaction as the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to break down debris.”
After pouring the mixture, let it do its thing for around 30 minutes before flushing the drain with boiling water. For those especially difficult blockages, you may need to repeat the process to ensure the drain is completely cleared.
This homemade concoction works thanks to the chemical reaction between two ordinary household ingredients: vinegar (an acid) and baking soda (a base). When they combine, they fizz up, effectively cutting through the fats and grease that build up and block pipes.
Salt is thrown into the mix for added benefits, working as an abrasive to help scour off any lingering muck. Opting for this method means shunning harsh chemicals, ensuring a more environmentally-friendly and home-safe solution.
“What’s great about this method is that it’s so simple but it is also really effective,” Clare said. “The natural ingredients break down organic materials like hair and food waste that are often responsible for blockages, and because it’s non-toxic, there’s no risk to your pipes, pets or family.”
Clare advises piping in with this DIY fix at the first signs of slow draining. She advised: “If you catch the blockage early, this homemade recipe is usually all you need to get your pipes flowing freely again.”