Safe and Simple Ways to Unclog Drains

Clogged drains can be such a pain.

As my long, stray hairs accumulate in my bathroom drains each day, I know all too well about the need to unclog drains.

Commercial drain cleaners are just plain nasty, though. You know … the kinds that advertise that they’re as effective as a plumber?

The vast majority of these products contain sodium hypochlorite and surfactants – both damages skin, irritate allergies, and are toxic to aquatic life. Since these chemicals go right down your drain and into the water supply, this is a definite concern.

Chemical-based drain openers are not recommended with septic systems. But they’re not beneficial for sewers, either.

Safe and simple solutions

So how can you safely unclog your drains?

For starters, try to keep a mesh trap over your drain; especially in your bathtub. This helps keep a lot of potentially cloggable material out of your drains.

Next, try a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar. I personally haven’t had much success with this method (but, like I mentioned, my clogged drains always involved my long hair).

If you’re still dealing with problem clogs, you can fix the problem by snaking your drain with a manual tool. (Disclosure: Purchasing a product through this link will result in a commission for Accidentally Green.) This solution is fairly quick and once you’ve initially bought the auger, you’ll always have it.

If you’d rather pour a product down your drain to help, I love to use enzymatic drain cleaners – Unique Products are my favorites. (I’m not making any commission on this recommendation – it’s simply what I choose to use.)

And when all else fails, don’t hesitate to call a plumber!

How do you prefer to clean your drains without using chemicals?

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Hilary Kimes Bernstein

Hilary Kimes Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, mama, and journalist. She writes about making healthy decisions that honor God and happen to help the environment at Accidentally Green. Short and sweet - like her writing - Hilary is the author of several healthy living eBooks.

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