5 Easy Homemade Drain Cleaner Recipes
Clean your drain for a fraction of the cost with DIY drain cleaners using pantry staples.
Flynnside Out Productions
Before you go the chemical route to clear a slow drain, try a DIY drain cleaner made with baking soda and vinegar.
There’s nothing quite like realizing the water level has crept up to your ankles halfway through your shower. Ew! Unfortunately, it happens to the best of us. Next time you’re a victim of the drain (sink or shower), use household ingredients you have on hand to solve the problem in a snap.
Jump to these DIY Drain Cleaner Recipes
Before trying any of these, be sure to first remove your drain screen or stopper and wipe out any visible blockages with a paper towel.
Baking Soda + Vinegar
- Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar down drain.
- Plug drain and let sit for one hour.
- Then, pour a pot of boiling water down drain. Repeat if necessary.
Baking Soda + Lemon Juice
- Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup lemon juice down drain.
- Plug drain and let sit for one hour.
- Finish with a pot of boiling water.
*If you’re working with a clogged kitchen sink and prefer the smell of lemon to vinegar, consider this method instead of the first method. Do know that lemon juice costs a bit more than vinegar, though.
Lemons are a natural disinfectant and they can be used to clean drains with baking soda.
Baking Soda + Salt
- Mix 1/2 cup table salt and 1/2 cup baking soda, and pour down drain.
- Let sit for about 30 minutes (or overnight if it’s a tough clog).
- Follow with a pot of boiling water.
Clean your drains with a homemade cleaner made of baking soda and salt.
Baking Soda + Salt + Cream of Tartar
- Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup salt and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar in a jar that seals.
- Close jar and shake to combine ingredients.
- Pour half the jar’s contents down drain, and save the other half for later.
- Follow the solution with a pot of boiling water.
- Let drain sit for one hour. Then, run tap water to rinse any remaining solution down.
Salt + Borax + Vinegar
- Pour 1/4 cup salt, followed 1/4 cup Borax down drain.
- Pour 1/2 cup vinegar down.
- Finish with a pot of boiling water.
- Let sit for one hour or until it clears.
- Run hot tap water to rinse any remaining solution down.
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