How To Clear Blocked Drains: Tips & Tricks

Blocked drains can be a nightmare with the issues they cause often cropping up suddenly. They can make everyday tasks like washing up or showering more difficult with water not draining properly and fill your home with unpleasant smells. These aren't nice things to live with, so below we've listed some tips and tricks to help you unblock your drains.

The simplest thing to try is to boil a kettle of water and pour it down your drain. It's important to note that this isn't always effective, although you're more likely to have success with small blockages of food and fat that can be easily broken down.

One of the oldest tricks is to try a combination of baking soda and vinegar to clear your drains. This is a popular method, especially since it utilises items you likely already have. Simply mix together the baking soda, vinegar and water in equal amounts and tip it down the drain as quickly as possible. Leave this for at least an hour or longer if possible to allow time for the blockage to be broken down. Then flush the drain with hot water.

If the blockage can’t be broken down using the methods above, the next thing to try is a coathanger – you'll need a metal coathanger for this. Start by straightening it out and adding a bend in one end to form a hook. Once ready, push it gently into the drain until you reach resistance. Once you get the hook attached to the clog, try to draw the blockage out of the pipe - be careful not to push it further as it will become even more difficult to fix.

To get the best results from a sink plunger, it should be slightly bigger than the drain opening. Place the plunger over the plughole and then add some water to the sink. Spend about a minute pumping the plunger up and down before removing it and checking whether the water drains. You may need to repeat this method a few times.

If you have a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, you could try using it on your sink. Create a seal with tape and set the vacuum on full strength to see if it sucks out the blockage.

If all else fails and you find that none of these tricks works for you, it might be time to call in a professional. This could indicate that the problem is more serious or will be harder to fix, so it is better to entrust the task to someone with experience and knowledge.

Here at Matt Diamond Plumbing, we can offer exactly that. As soon as you spot the signs of a blockage, make sure to call us or use our contact form to schedule a visit from our team.