Can Coke clear a clogged drain?

How do I know if I have a clog?

Drains get clogged, it is a fact of life and there are several reasons it happens. From debris, various elements and a multitude of materials will accumulate in a drain over time. Eventually, they all gang up and you have a clogged drain. If it isn’t addressed and fixed, it isn’t only inconvenient, it can become unhealthy and cause other issues.  The following are indicators that you have one, you’re about to have one, or worse, you have a broken sewer line.

Unexplained Yard Puddles

If you’re noticing random puddles in the yard and it hasn’t rained recently, you could have a really deep clog or a broken sewer line. This is going to need professional plumbing service for clogged drain cleaning or sewer line repair.

Toilet Not Flushing

A toilet that is not flushing is a common indication that you need clogged drain cleaning to remove an obstruction in the toilet pipes. Or it could be a deeper clog or broken sewer line. Try plunging the toilet first, if that didn’t clear it, try an auger (plumber’s snake). If still not clear, you’ll need to call a professional plumber. 

A Foul Odor in the Drains

It isn’t unusual to have a brief odor when you flush or pour something in a drain. However, if that odor is consistent, then you may need clogged drain cleaning. That odor is from accumulated bacteria in the pipes. This can be an especially foul odor in the kitchen because of stuck food particles. There have been some cases where the foul odor was a rodent stuck in the pipes – a real foul odor! If you have tried several ways to freshen the drain without any success, call a professional plumber. 

Gurgling Drains

A smelly drain is an indicator you need clogged drain cleaning, and so is a gurgling drain. A gurgling drain is telling you there is air trapped in the plumbing lines because of an obstruction, or the vent stack on the roof may have a clog. This will need professional clogged drain cleaning by a plumber. 

Slow Drains

When it takes a long time for water to drain in a bathtub, shower, or sink, you’ll know that clogged drain cleaning is needed. Clogs in these areas are often caused by soap scum, toothpaste, and hair built-up. These types of clogs can be cleared easily by you. 

How can I unclog my drain?

If you are faced with clogged drain cleaning, it may be confusing as to what to pour down a clogged drain that is effective, but safe.  Of course, the first thing is to try plunging the clogged drain, and often that will do the trick. They’ve been around forever, but you’ve read warnings not to use an over-the-counter drain cleaner. 

Why, can drain cleaner make a clog worse? Yes and no. A chemical cleaner like Drano or Liquid-Plumbr can clear a clog, but the liquid solution can also become solid and clog your drain even more, depending on the original clog problem. In addition, repeated use of chemicals can damage the pipes, leading to leaks.  

So – how to unclog a drain without chemicals? 

Here is a four-step process for clogged drain cleaning with the products you already have in your home: 

STEP 1: Pour a pot of boiling hot water into the drain.

STEP 2: Pour one cup of baking soda, one cup of water, and one cup of white vinegar into the drain. 

STEP 3: Cover the drain and wait 10 minutes. 

STEP 4: Pour a pot of boiling hot water into the drain again. 

The baking soda and vinegar will have a bubbling reaction as the mixture loosens the clog, and the boiling hot water in step four will remove the clog and mixture from the pipes. Baking soda and vinegar are all-natural materials that won’t hurt the pipes or the environment as the clog flushes on through into the sewer system. 

So, will vinegar clear a clogged drain and how does that work? 

Yes, vinegar will clear the clog when used with baking soda and water. The baking soda is the base product, sodium bicarbonate, and vinegar is made up of acetic acid and water. When you combine baking soda and vinegar, molecules are exchanged and create carbon dioxide, the water bubbles through and breaks up the clog, resulting in loose material that will flow through the pipes after you add the boiling hot water.

Drainage pipes are not pressurized like the pipe in your water system. So, when boiling hot water is added, it creates pressure. Coupled with the gravity of plumbing, the unwanted goop is flushed out of the piping, and you have an all-natural clogged drain cleaning!  

Will bleach clear a clogged drain?

No, and this is because it cannot eat through hair, soap scum, toothpaste, and the other kinds of substances that cause clogged drain. Cleaning the bacteria and germs is all that bleach will do, though it will make it smell clean and fresh. 

Can you use drain cleaner in a clogged toilet?

No! No! And NO!  A chemical drain cleaner like Drano, Liquid-Plumbr, or any chemical-based clogged drain cleaning product is too abrasive and harsh on the pipes. NEVER use a chemical-based product in a clogged toilet.