Natural Homemade ‘drain-o’, or How To Unclog Without Harmful Chemicals

June 24th, 2009 - filed under: The Farm » Home

img_0958

 

If I were to write a love ballad, it would be all about baking soda. It might go something like, 

“White as snow/ and powdered fine/ clean anything/ to make you mine

I didn’t know/ we’d never start / ’cause vinegar/ has got your heart“

But seriously, this stuff is out of control. Baking soda and vinegar are the foundation of DIY cleaning. Don’t be fooled – it really is that simple.

And this recipe is easy enough, but I swear it works like a charm. You don’t need complex, carcinogenic compounds lurking around your cabinets! Baking soda, baby, and a liberal splash of vinegar.

 

img_0953That’s powdered gold, my friends, white gold from cleansing heaven.

 

Drain De-Clogger Recipe:

1/2 cup baking soda

1 cup vinegar

1 gallon boiling water

Carefully siphon all the baking soda down the drain. Pour in 1/2 of the vinegar, covering the hole so the fizz is forced down, not up (omit this for toilets, please!). Add the second half of the vinegar, following the same procedure. Allow to sit for 15 minutes or so, and then flush with an entire gallon of boiling water.

 

I have used this method in my shower and my toilet, and it has never failed me. For particularly troublesome stoppage, you may have to administer multiple applications. For instance, I recently had to go three rounds with my janky bathtub drain. It was a mighty battle, but my baking soda came through for me!

 

img_0970The magic is in the fizz.

 

Enjoy, and happy green cleaning!

sign-off

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  • http://thesocalledme.net Jenny

    Just came across your site while stumbling. It’s pretty awesome. I’ve bookmarked you for later visiting. :D Totally jealous over your design ;)

  • JJ

    Baking Soda and vinegar ARE chemicals.

  • Jum
  • http://theguyinthought.wordpress.com/ Jack

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking_soda

    Sodium Bicarbonate, to be exact (baking soda)

  • Casey

    Everything is a chemical…water is a chemical for Christ’s sake. Please be informed before sounding like a dumbass.

  • http://robsteranium.net Robsteranium

    Vinegar is an acid, baking soda an alkali. They combine to create carbon dioxide – fizzy! I knew you could power bottles around the bath with the mix – I never thought of cleaning with them!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ Jenny – Thanks, and welcome to the site!

    @ JJ – haha, of *course* they are. I was, of course, using the vernacular definition as opposed to the literal. But you knew that, didn’t you?

    @ Jum @ Jack (who is the same person) – I edited the title, hopefully that will clear up your confusion. =)

    @ Casey – I’m not sure who that’s aimed at, but please try to keep it civil. You don’t have to agree, but try to be respectful.

    @ Robsteranium – They are the most excellent, all-purpose, cleaners!

  • Robert

    haha, love the ingredients. Baking soda, baby, and a liberal splash of vinegar. where will I find a baby?

  • http://theguyinthought.wordpress.com/ Mr.Man

    AKA Jack and Jum (explanation should arrive shortly)

    I think this title’s better (it’s crystal clear).

  • Nadia

    I loved the pics and the how-to. Boo & Hiss to the nay-sayers. You can’t do a good thing on the internet without someone getting their panties in a wad. Well done, ma’am, and thanks again!

  • ~__~

    @ Robert

    She said “Baking soda, baby!” Not… baby as one of the ingredients…

  • http://www.CatLadyDiary.com felicia

    It works! Thank You

  • http://www.iamthelizardqueen.deviantart.com Miss Miranda

    Finally, someone who loves baking soda as much as I do!!

  • mik

    What does “Bonzai” mean? That’s not a word…it’s either “bonsai” or “banzai”.

  • Becky

    Why must people criticise her every single word?

    Thanks for the great tip/’recipe’.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ Robert – I think you have to make those, recipe takes about 9 months to brew! =D

    @ Mr. Man – Glad it’s more clear for you now.

    @ Nadia – haha, no need to boo and hiss. How about woo-hoo and kiss instead? *smooch*!

    @ felicia – So glad you tried it! Thanks for the testimonial!

    @ Miss Miranda – It truly is a wonder chemical. ;)

    @ mik – haha, well it’s definitely not a tiny tree, and it’s certainly not a Japanese battle cry, so . . .

    @ Becky – No worries, Lady. My website is awesome and that makes some people uncomfortable, I guess. It’s all good!

  • Celeste

    “stumbled” across your site and I love it! Don’t understand why people go out of their way to criticize, rather than take the good or just move on! Constructive criticism is one thing, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Anyway, justwant to thank you for reminding me of the 2 best cleaning products in the world! They’re inexpensive, natural and do a great job. I keep a spray bottle of white vinegar to clean my granite countertops. No chemicals near my food either. :) I’m looking forward to your other blogs and will be back often. thanks for sharing this!

  • http://madmadamem.blogspot.com/ Emily

    10 points for use of word “janky”

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ Celeste – Thanks Lady! Welcome to the site, and I hope to see you around again. =)

    @ Emily – Can you believe spellcheck tried to tell me it wasn’t a word?? Hmmph!

  • Dan

    I’ve tried this many times, and it’s only ever had a slight impact; always had to go to draino or some other high powered chemical.
    :(

  • Wobbuffet

    Thanks for the tip. I stumbled upon this and, coincidentally, my sink needs unclogging, but I don’t have any Drano handy.

  • http://www.eloyhanoi.blogspot.com eloy

    yes, beautiful design!!

  • http://www.johl.biz Johl

    HAHA
    Baking soda, baby, and a liberal splash of vinegar.

    after thorough search still couldn’t find the second ingredient lurking around in my cabinets ..

  • melissa

    hey hey. I stumbled to your site a week ago and loveee it. i noticed some people were commenting that it didn’t always work. I this approach with sucsess, only difference is i add salt (i;ve used kosher and sea salt) just siphon salt down with the baking soda and follow the above method. works like a charm.

  • Karin

    Yep, I’ve been doing this for years. I think it works better for kitchens than bathrooms through, where the clogs tend to be grease, not hair.

  • http://omgpop.com Rusty

    Lifehacker’s featuring your article, so I dropped by. Looks really useful! I’ll be sure to test it out later! =D

  • Lifehacker Reader – DB

    I have done this in the past and have had great success with it, as well. The only variation is that I use boiling hot vinegar. I have to admit I never tried to cover the drain, forcing the reaction downward instead of upward. Next time!

  • http://www.rushingaround.com Steven Rushing

    I saw your article on Lifehacker and this totally worked! You put in the soda, and then cover the hole with your hand, air tight. Then you put in the vinegar, keeping it separated by your hand. Lift your hand a tiny bit, just a crack, to let the vinegar in, and as soon as the fizz starts coming up clamp it back down.

    I felt the pressure building and building and I totally thought that I was going to have a huge mess when my hand gave way, but there was a satisfying pop when the clog gave way first! =)

  • http://www.start-amarketing.com Pete

    Our plumber told us that boiling water was the best thing for clogged pipes so you could eleminate the vinigar and baking soda.

  • PantiesInAWad

    I’m deeply disturbed by your use of the word ‘magic’ as in “the magic is in the fizz” As a right thinking person, I hope you realize that, indeed, chemistry is not magic. It follows strict, physical laws. Magic on the other hand, is a powerful force unbound by nature, fueled by the bones of the dead, and intensified by the screaming wind from a giant demonic octopus-shaped bellows with itty bitty tongues that go “ia ia! thppth thppth” in the night.

    Get your facts straight.

    btw, thanks for the tip. I think I’m gonna put the kids to bed early tonight, and go all Arm and Hammer on my bathtub. Yeeow!

  • blinky

    …And don’t forget, this will also take the funk out of your disposal! ;)

  • Sarah

    I’ve been happily unclogging my drains this way for a few years now…
    I do have a question, though-how do you go about ‘siphoning’ the baking soda down the drain? I’ve always had trouble with that part since my drain isn’t just open for the pouring. I usually end up stabbing the excess with a chopstick :P

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    Thanks everyone for all the responses, tips, and testimonials. It’s so awesome hearing from everyone!

    @ PantiesInAWad – *snort* That was really funny, you almost had me.

    @ Sarah – I usually wait for the drain to get totally dry, then use a piece of paper rolled up like a funnel. But I like the chopsticks idea for when it gets sticky! I’ll have to try that! =D

  • Margaretha

    THANK YOU, goddess of creativity! I’ve actually been hmmm-ing and ha-ing over my nearly clogged bathroom sink for a couple of weeks trying to figure out what to do about it. Luckily I didn’t buy some harmful chemicals (he he) Can’t wait to try it out when I get back home!

  • http://dot.com Allen

    How do you get it down the toilet??

  • http://theguyinthought.wordpress.com/ Mr.Man

    Flush it?

  • courtney

    Very very true. It is like gold. I once melted some cosmetic wax all over the microwave and beyond. The ONLY thing that got it off it was baking soda and vinegar.

  • andy

    What do you mean by “omit for toilets” and how do you “siphon” it.

  • bo

    What about clogging caused by hair? I have a problematic bathroom sink that’s getting clogged more and more every day. I don’t understand what to do since it’s one of those drains with those middle plugs. any suggestions? :)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ Everyone asking about toilets: For the toilet I just pour in the baking soda, then pour in the vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, and then add the boiling water. Then flush!

    I meant ‘omit’ as in . . . please don’t stick your hand in the toilet to block the hole to make the fizz go down. ewwww.

    @ Margaretha – hey darlin’!

    @ bo – This may or may not work on hair clogs, dependent on a lot of factors. It’s certainly worth a try! My tup also has the middle plug that won’t come out. Very annoying. I waited until it was very dry in there and then used a funnel made out of paper. Also as someone else suggested. you can use a chopstick to jam the baking soda dow there. But really, waiting until it’s dry (if you can) helps a lot.

  • atyoung

    Nice write up, I would like to add however that one should use care when putting boiling water down a drain. Most pvc is rated at 140 degrees. Water boils at a nice 212 degrees. You can easily cause leaks you didn’t want. Most abs can handle those kind of temperatures however.

  • Laiane

    This worked like a charm on my cat-hair clogged bathroom sink (No, I don’t wash my cats in the sink, but it gets clogged with cat hair anyway). I didn’t use boiling water, just hot-Hot-HOT tap water, letting in run for a minute or two.

  • Stephen

    Just worked on our very slowly draining bathtub/shower. Thanks for the how to (and to Lifehacker for the reference).

  • http://www.bettytillis.com Betty Tillis

    I had a kitchen sink that was really clogged, running hot, hot water did not seem to work. So I reached for my baking soda and apple cider vinegar……..It worked! Cleared the Clog…..But the consequence of that was an under-the-sink avalanche of water,vinegar, and baking soda. Word to the wise,here, Make sure the P-trap is tightened…….seems I had an explosion in the P-trap due to the pressure of the stuff and weakly tightened rings………….

  • burmaball

    thanks to you, i just unclogged my drain! thank you so much. enjoying your blog very much.

  • EricaHope

    I love your site! I am going to try this tomorrow. Our bathtub drain is draining very slowly… my hubby wants me to just go and buy draino… but not if I can help. All those yucky chemicals, who needs ‘em.

  • http://blog.self-improvement-saga.com Nea | Self Improvement Saga

    I just stumbled across this and I love the idea. Luckily I don’t have any reason to try it our right now, but I’m bookmarking this site for future reference. Thanks a ton!

  • http://letlove.be love

    bless this post with love,peace and success.

    just let love be

  • skywind

    I run vinegar through my coffeepot to clean it once a month. Before pouring out the hot vinegar, I funnel some baking soda down the drain and grab the drain stopper so I can slap it over the drain opening as soon as it starts foaming. Rubber gloves are helpful.

  • Alex

    Who is the chick on your shoulder?

    BTW: Your are great.

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