As a homeowner, you face challenges daily. Few obstacles are as troublesome and potentially smelly as a clogged drain. Whether it’s the kitchen sink or bathroom sink, or a shower or outdoor drain, how do you properly unclog a drain? And what’s the right way to maintain your drain to prevent clogging in the first place?

Preventing clogs
Think about the drains in your home right now. They could be getting clogged right now, but you wouldn’t know it until the tale-tell smell hit you square in the nose. One way to prevent drain odors is to perform regular drain maintenance. Here are some simple and natural suggestions to avoid clogged drains:
• Weekly maintenance: Boil a large pot of water, pour half of it down the drain, wait five minutes, then pour the rest down the drain.
• Monthly maintenance: Apply an enzymatic cleaner once a month to clear potential clogs and to fend off odors.
• Seasonal maintenance: Every four to six months, it’s a good idea to flush with something a little stronger. Running your hot water, pour a half-cup of baking soda and a half-cup of vinegar down the drain.

If you’re also dealing with a garbage disposal, running a handful of ice cubes and orange peels through is a time-tested method of eliminating blade residue.

Getting rid of clogs
OK, so clogs can still happen—in drains large and small—and with the help of some effective methods, you’ll clear them up in no time.

A hand spinner from Ridgid tools

First, where’s your clog located? Indoor clogs are typically smaller and easier to clear, while outdoor stoppages often happen on a larger scale and could get messy.

Indoors: Hand tools are the easiest gadgets to use in unclogging your drain. Hand spinners give you control over where to clear and how much force goes into it. Sink machines are designed to reach further down a drain to wiggle or drag the offender loose.

Augers are also an excellent alternative to the trusty household plunger. It’s more sanitary and there’s less chance of the soiled toilet water splashing. A kinetic water ram is a more powerful hand-held tool using kinetic energy (like a little shock wave) to break up any stoppage.

Other less-sophisticated hand-held clog-clearing products include a general drain flusher and, as an alternative to an auger, sewer tape (ranging in length from 25 to 100 feet). If you need to access the P-trap beneath your kitchen or bathroom sink, you’ll just need an adjustable wrench.

The Ridgid seesnake inspection camera

Outdoors: The main drain to your house affects everything plumbing related: the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, dishwasher, and even outdoor faucet. If you live in an area populated by older trees, branches might get swept into the storm drain. An electrical-powered sewer snake can clear this type of heavy blockage.

Other considerations: One of the most popular tools, especially for professional plumbers, is Ridgid’s SeeSnake video inspection equipment. They’re portable, powerful and provide exceptional pictures. Another innovative product is the Permaflow P-trap replacement. This clear P-trap includes an internal paddle that can be manually turned to remove a clog or assist in retrieving lost items like jewelry.

The Permaflow P-Trap replacement

If all else fails…
If none of the above solutions work, you might have yourself a good old-fashioned, industrial-sized blockage. In this case, contact a professional plumber ASAP. Because a small or medium size blockage in your home’s main drain can quickly erode into a major fiasco.

Until next time, Happy Home Improving!

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