Drain cleaners

[jgenie]

What do you use to clear clogged drains? I hate to use drano but the boiling water isn't cutting it. Any recs? TIA

[boltfam]

I don't know if you've tried baking soda before the boiling water, but I've done that effectively. I did a search on these boards and found it. I'm not sure exactly how much baking soda it was but I do remember letting it have to sit a while before running the boiling water through.

[WatchingThemGrow]

kitchen or bathroom?

[LMPC]

When my bathroom sink gets clogged up, I just take the p-trap off and clean it out. Sounds much grosser than draino, but so much more environmentally friendly. FWIW, I have also used the baking soda/vinegar method, which sometimes works.

[jgenie]

kitchen or bathroom?

It's the tub drain.

[mezzona]

one cup baking soda in drain. then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain. if that doesnt clear it up, pour one cup of white distilled vinegar followed with another kettle of boiling water. hth!

eta sometimes i just do two rounds of baking soda and boiling water.

[AnnieW625]

Commercial strength Liquid Plummer or Drano. There is also this awesome stuff that reaks to high heaven and you have to immediately cover the drain with a pie tin and wear a mask to use it and it comes in a sealed plastic bag and that stuff really works. They sell it at Lowe's. I had to use it once when I lived in my condo and OMG I don't think I ever had a clog again. We have really old pipes in my house so I haven't used it in a long time, but the stuff is amazing.

[kristenk]

I use this on our shower drain:

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Products-400-Drain-Cleaning/dp/B000BO9204

I think we picked ours up at Home Depot or Lowe's.

[bubbaray]

DH clears the shower & tub drains manually.

[veronica]

same here. We love our zip it. you can get it at walmart for under $3 -our plumber told us to get one, lol!!!!


I use this on our shower drain:

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Products-400-Drain-Cleaning/dp/B000BO9204

I think we picked ours up at Home Depot or Lowe's.

[GvilleGirl]

Zip it for hair clogs is the way to go. Other choice is baking soda and vinegar.

[trcy]

we use a plunger

[RunnerDuck]

tubs can be hard to snake or zip it - but i recently learned the correct way and it unclogged my tub FAST. Take the flapper thingie off that stops the tub - the metal lever - and cover the hole with duct tape. Duct tape over your sink draiin and sink overflow as well - assuming the line connects to the tub. Now plunge the drain. You will get more plunge action when the plunger can only push at the clog as opposed to pushing air out any over flow holes.

If you do need to snake out the drain you go in through where that flapper thingie comes off of - but for some reason I can't get my snake to go past the trap so I can never get a snake to work. But plunging using this method works.

[mikala]

We use the baking soda followed by vinegar method, put a weighted lid on it for a few minutes, then pour down the boiling water. Works pretty well most of the time. I'm always weary of using something stronger that might leave a residue since DS and I both take baths in the tub.

[jbbhb]

I just used the zip-it on my tub and it worked wonderfully! Best three dollars I ever spent :)

[Yarmy]

Another way also very effective cleaning using a quarter cup of baking soda and then adding the vinegar it will be effected.