Blocked drains are one of the most common plumbing issues. If you have drains, at some point you will probably need to unblock them. First and foremost, however, prevention is better than cure. There are some things you can do to prevent blockages. Your kitchen sink is likely to be the drain in your house that gets most easily blocked. It can attract food scraps, fibres from sponges used to wash dishes, and even small shards of broken glass or chipped ceramics. To help prevent this, you should always use a drain sieve in your kitchen sink. In the bathroom, be sure to remove any hair from the drain after showering. You can also keep a wastebasket beside the toilet for anything that you use which shouldn’t be flushed.
Firstly, try using a plunger.
Every household should have a plunger. This is a simple tool for clearing blockages in your pipes and drains. Plungers work by either pushing air down or sucking it up through drainage pipes thereby dislodging whatever is stuck down there. This should be the first thing you try. But if you don’t want to attempt this task yourself, and if you need to unblock your drains in Sydney (or any other big city) a plumbing professional will always be available to do it for you.
Next, you can try using bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.
Using a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar is a simple home remedy for clearing blocked drains which is both effective and environmentally friendly. Firstly, pour one cup of bicarbonate of soda down the blocked drain, followed by one cup of vinegar, then stand back and watch the reaction. Wait for around 15 minutes for everything to work, and then pour hot water down the drain to clear it. This helps to remove blockages in your drains as when bicarbonate of soda and vinegar react, they expand. The pressure from this expanding mixture helps to push the blockage down the pipes and remove soap scum which can stick to the surface of drainage pipes.
Next, try using a drain auger.
A drain auger, also known as a plumber’s snake, can be used to dislodge or break up fibres, move light materials, and clean the walls of your drainage pipes. You may need to use the auger a few times until the drain is completely clear. After using the auger, you can run water into the drain to test if it is clear. Usually, it’s worth calling in a plumbing professional to undertake this task for you.
Finally, you can clean out your u-bends.
It won’t hurt to clean out your u-bends. Place a bucket under the U-bend under the sink, unscrew the connections, and remove any build-up that is blocking this section of your pipe. Again, you might want to hire a plumbing professional to do this messy job for you. While these methods will often help to unblock your drains, some blockages are stubborn and need the attention of a professional plumber.
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