How to unblock a drain with baking soda and vinegar
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- in this video I try to unblock a drain with baking soda and vinegar, this has been mentioned several times in a few of my videos in the comments section, so I decided to test it out. I have to say that it does work, but you need to use a lot of the baking soda and vinegar, so I’m afraid I will stick to my favourite method by using Power Plumber. The cost of the baking soda and vinegar from a seller on ebay was about £12
A plunger is way cheaper and does a much better job, it's what I always use. Thanks for showing people that vinegar and baking soda are not a long term solution.
Thanks for the comment
£12 for vinegar and baking Soda! You were well ripped off there! 5l of white vinegar in my local Chinese supermarket wholesalers is about £2.99
Like I said, I bought it online.
Not everyone has time to go to a Chinese supermarket ;-)
Yeah not to mention the flight costs to China :)
LOL
Yes that's an insane price I'm in Turkey and here 500g sodium bicarbonate cost 5 TL (0.9888 euro) and 500ml vinegar 2 TL... altogether 7TL/1.38EUR/1.19GBP
I somehow miss this video. It is a classic way to unclog a drain.
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£12 for vinegar and soda! Where you shopping waitrose? White vinegar is about 50p and baking soda £2-3 at most.
eBay ;-)
I finally got around to testing out vinegar and baking soda to unblock a basin. There is no disputing that it works, but it is time consuming and the vinegar and baking soda can work out expensive. I’ll stick to the power plumber in future ;-)
I hope everyone has a great Sunday
Ultimate Handyman where can I get some power plumber? Was going to use the vinegar method but after seeing this I think I'll pass.
I've found that thinner works very well in clearing blocked drains. These blockages are usually from oil and grease collected over the years. Rubber-like substances and foul-smelling. Thinner cuts through them. Not eco-friendly, but it works.
They sell it at B&Q- www.diy.com/departments/power-plumber-instant-drain-clearer-can-150-ml/190549_BQ.prd
Or there is someone selling it on ebay, but it was dearer than B&Q the last time I checked.
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Thanks, I'd be worried about that damaging any seals/plastic etc.
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Get to Aldi! White vinegar is 25p a bottle. It's useful for loads of other things. I heard it eats foul odours too so I tried half a bottle in my food/garden waste bin which was getting a bit ripe after me not putting it out the week before. It worked!
I usually wait till the morning when the drain pipe is dry and fill the drain with baking soda, then pour the vinegar on top to push the dry baking soda as a scouring agent through the pipes. A take away chopstick helps to pack the baking soda down in the shower drain, so you don't have to fumble around to unscrew the hair screen.
Also I don't bother using fresh Baking soda, I use the old box from the fridge. Give it a second usage rather than bin it. Sure it smells but might as well use it to clean the drain right?
Also If the drain is still slow, I have dissembled the u joint trap below and found it's just filled will grease and slime. But that only occurs on the Kitchen drain, a good cleaning and it runs clean for another 2 years.
Thanks for the comment
£12 seems a lil steap, did someone ripp you off?
It was the best price I could find on ebay.
I'm afraid I don't have time to go shopping to look for the best prices ;-)
I think the confusion is you could get Bicarbonate of Soda which is essentially the same stuff from the detertergent aisle. £1.20 from sainsbury's. It's not "food safe" so costs less.
www.dri-pak.co.uk/the-difference-between-baking-soda-and-bicarbonate-of-soda/
Works well. I buy the baking soda and vinegar at the dollar store. Its a lot cheaper here than your side of the pond. Proper drain cleaner would cost me 5 to 6 dollars as opposed to 2 dollars.
Thanks for the comment
Love your vids. I'm pretty sure after putting down the soda and vinegar you're supposed to cover the holes so the pressure can force the blockage away. Maybe I'm wrong but that's how my old dad used to do it.
Thanks, I read a few articles and watched a couple of videos but that was not mentioned in any of them.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Yes you’re I had a plumber come out he ask me to put some tissue and in the hold near the pipe while he plunged then told me to save calling him out using soda crystals or baking soda but remember to do the tissue thing
@@rfield4308 I'm not sure I'm reading your comment right. You put the tissue in the plug hole yes?
You'd probably have better results just using the vinegar alone. The reaction essentially produces CO2 and some salts once you mix them together.
I just tested out what a lot of people recommended.
Thanks for the comment
Easier to use a wet and dry vaccum cleaner, unblocks in seconds and also a good tool to fish wire through conduit!
Thanks for the comment 👍
Hey there, I put caustic soda down the outside trap (where the kitchen sink drains) every few months to stop it from blocking. It's only about £1.50 from Wilkos. You mentioned Power Plumber a few times in the comments. I've never used this product before. In your opinion how does the performance of Power Plumber compare to caustic soda? Thanks.
I've never used Caustic soda (well not since I was a kid). I would not use Caustic in the house as it might damage the plastic pipes, but for outside drains it should be fine.
The Power plumber Is superb, it costs £16 from B&Q but you get about 15 shots from the one can. A mate of mine is a plumber for a large housing association and he uses it all the time.
This is a old video but shows it in use at my last house- ruclips.net/video/JMd_08rz22Y/видео.html
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Scotch Corporation liquid instant hair and grease remove for drains, 1 litre £10.99 from amazon. I had a pain of a bathroom sink that just wouldn't unclog, poured this stuff down and hasn't been blocked since, brilliant.
Barry (Wirral, ENG)
Thanks Barry, I'll try that one day ;-)
Looks like a problem with the plumbing itself if you can fill the sink without a plug in it even after cleaning
Yes, I don't know what the problem is until I rip the bathroom out as everything is concealed.
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One of those old timey remedies that is repeated ad nauseum despite the fact that there are much better options these days. I bet most of the people who recommend it never use it themselves.
An old fashioned plunger still works great for me, no moving parts, the one I have is at least 20 years old and still works perfectly. Need to know how to use it though.
I bet you are right, I won't be using it again.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Why don't you use Sodium Hydroxide, (Caustic soda). It's cheeper and unblocks drains no problem.
Lots of people recommended this, which is why I tried it.
Thanks for the comment
Vinegar is magic stuff. I clean my washing machine and dishwasher with vinegar. It's also great for cleaning the alloys on the car.
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I buy a drain cleaner that's good for two sinks for £1, you just let it sit 15 minutes and rinse it through. And it usually sorts the issue for about 5 months.
You're meant to leave it for a hour before pouring the hot water
No PPE!!!!!!!!!!! I'm in shock. What sort of example are you setting :-)
I was feeling like a hard man when I filmed this LOL
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Can you do a vid on how to use baking soda and vinegar to dissolve your enemy's corpse?
No, it is easier to bury them in the garden ;-)
a better question would be how to patio over the uneven ground and do so without the neighbours knowing about it
Does it have to be white vinegar, I haven't got any white in can it be malt
I've not tried malt- but it should work
Great tip mate. Better than getting smelly hands undoing the trap!
Absolutely. To be honest I will never use this again as it is not that effective, unless of course you are a Eco warrior and this kind of stuff fits your narrative ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Awesome it works. Thank You
Glad it helped
Repeat of some comments below, wow that seems expensive.
Yes, but when you buy online you have to pay post and packing.
If I physically go to the shops if I factor in the price of getting there and my time it works out much more expensive than buying stuff online ;-)
There's an issue further down stream, the waste pipe should easily be able to drain off a fast running tap. There's no way a sink tap should be able to fill a sink with the plug out. Plus if you paid £12 for them items they saw you coming I'm afraid.
Mr Muscle make good products, if you buy a quality drain cleaner first time and do it once every year or so its better than doing every couple of months will a substandard product costing more per treatment just because you think you are saving the planet.
Tried Mr Muscle and a few other "specialist" drain cleaners. None of them work!
Unfortunately the waste pipe goes under the tiled floor, so I'll have to wait until I replace the bathroom to fix it properly
Thanks for the comment 👍
It was probably just the vinegar and hot water alone that did it. It is well known that in terms of cleaning the only thing vinegar is good for, as with all other weak acids, is dissolving limescale.
There is this stupid fashion amoung housewives to use baking soda and vinegar. Don't fool for it. They don't know what they are talking about. The baking soda probably did nothing or very little. Try without it and I bet you would get similar results.
£12 is very expensive. Can buy the same stuff in the supermarket for something like £1.
My bath drain is slow, if I pour some vinegar in it how long shall I leave it be before pouring hot water you reckon?
How does this compare to using Sulphuric Acid type liquid (ie Knockout). I understand that your method is more eco friendly...but how would you compare its effectiveness? I saw Knockout on ebay for around £8.50 for 1litre
Not sure, I normally use Power plumber which costs £16 a tin but will unblock most basins 15 times.
Love it.. but £12 seems like a lot of money.. Wilko and Aldi do white vinegar for about £1 and wilko do a box of bicarbonate of soda for about £1.80.. Great idea though, thanks
Thanks for the comment
Can you buy a tool to remove items out of bath type plug hole. One of my kids have put straws down the plug hole and I cannot get to the trap as it's been boxed in.
I'm not sure. I have seen a snake type thing pop up on Facebook adverts but they always seem to use it with a removable plug type waste (not one with holes). I'm not sure if one of these would work- fave.co/2EOirA2
I just use acid. Or take the u bend apart. Tried white vinegar in my washing machine but I found that Cilet bang grime and lime worked loads better, quarter to half a bottle.
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I think there's a problem if it keeps getting blocked. Good video if you want to clean drains the eco way. Get your hand round the trap, check for blockages😀😀😀😀👍👍👍👍
Thanks, it's been fine for about 2 years. I don't want to undo the trap as the seal is knackered and sealed with silicone ;-)
I'll give it a blast with the power plumber if it blocks again ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Caustic Soda is cheaper and eats through all the crap
Yes, but as so many people recommended this method I decided to test it out ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Caustic soda is only good for Cast Iron but it will eat away at the furnco fittings with continual usage. I had a tenant use that weekly, the pipes were safe but had to replace the fittings.
Doesn't work! Clogged up my pipes and cup with baking soda.
I would suggest using a chemical based un-blocker
I only tried this as the eco warriors were recommending it, as being better than the chemical alternatives ;-) Thanks for the comment 👍
I always thought adding bicarbonate soda to vinegar you are just neutralising the acidic vinegar, what do I know🤔 great video👍
Lots of people recommended this method, but I'll stick to the Power plumber ;-)
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Bottle traps are notorious for "clagging up" I much prefer "p" traps. .
This has a P trap, but there is something wrong with the waste and the waste from the shower/toilet etc.
When I get time I'll rip the bathroom out and install a new one (might be a few years before I get time though)
Thanks for the comment
Family is keto diet so a lot more fats end up in our sink system than most folks. It tends to slow up the main plumbing a bit. For fats specifically I've found hot salt water works well as an abrasive that carries away the deposits when used on a regular basis. Do you see any issue with boiling water/table salt in a plumbing system?
I'd be careful with too much boiling water, as I'm uncertain if it could damage the pipes/seals.
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Maybe get off the quack-promoted crank diet before your internals get similarly messed up... ;-)
It seems to be effective but it may depend on the type of blockage, hair from a shower might not work.
I am not sure it's that eco friendly.
Thanks for the video
James
Yes, it is eco friendly but that is about the only good point. I'll be using Power plumber next time.
Thanks for the comment
You have been seen right off at those prices. For what you paid for the white vinegar I get the best part of 20 litres on eBay. I use these ingredients for all sorts of applications. If you add a little lemon to it you can use it to clean your oven and if you live in a hard water area like I do you can put half a cup in the upper and lower racks of a dishwasher to remove the lime scale when washing dishes. I normally love your videos but I think your conclusion in this video is less well informed than usual. There is loads of information out there about using white vinegar and baking soda for all sorts of applications and it’s recommended as it works really well and it’s cheaper than commercial products.
Let's face it, baking soda and vinegar is crap regardless of the price.
People suggested it (mainly eco warriors), and I tried it. Next time I'll use Power plumber for sure.
Like I said in the video I bought the stuff online and these were the best prices I could find on ebay.
Power plumber costs about £1 a go and gets rid of the blockage instantly ;-)
Ultimate Handyman there is enough evidence out there to show that it works. You just have to do a few extra steps with it. Granted it won’t work miracles but nothing will at the price you can get it for. I don’t care about tree huggers. Just after the best results based on cost and least effort. I’ve never used power plumber but it does sound good and if you can get it for that price then I’d use it too. I can’t find it any cheaper than around £12 to £16 though. Are you getting it from a trade supplier or have I just missed something?
Thanks, Power plumber is £16 at B&Q but you get about 15 shots from the one container.
I have a tin that I have had for over 6 years.
This is the exact tin- ruclips.net/video/JMd_08rz22Y/видео.html
Thanks for the comments
Great idea but what was the cause for the drain blocking
Not sure, it does take months/years before it blocks up again.
This is my en-suite bathroom and only I use it, so there are no long hairs as the girls use the other bathroom.
Sometimes the shower glugs when the basin is in use and sometimes the basin and shower glug when the toilet is flushed.
I'll find out one day when I rip the floor up ;-)
Thanks for the comment
One is a acid and one is a alkali so doesnt do shit
The power plumber works much better ;-)
Dare I say that if the pipework is installed correctly and decent trap is used there should not be a constant problem.
Failing that a bottle trap with a removable sump to allow for cleaning is a good idea.
Also in my experience it is usually long strands of hair that build up over the trap that can help to cause problems.
This has been here since the 80's, although this bathroom could have been installed when the house was extended.
I'll cope with it for now, until I decide to redo the bathroom.
Thanks for the comment
I learnt too many years ago about drains and falls etc. I still cant believe how many times I come across installations where the person that put them in believes that they can defy gravity! I watch and enjoy your videos and have learned a lot from them thank you!
The girlfriend had a fancy glass bowl basin and tap installed in her downstairs loo, the plumber ran the waste pipe flush along the floor and expected the water to drain out of it!
I've seen some bad waste and soil pipe installs, it's amazing how they get away with some of them!
Thanks for the comments
They get away with it because no one is there to check them and they have no pride in the the work they leave behind. I work for myself doing domestic building works, I have never had to advertise and the same people keep employing me .......... no not to put right!
Christ I had to take off the u bend the other day🤢.
I don't touch the bend on this basin as the seal is split in two, so I sealed it with silicone ;-)
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suplhuric acid cant go wrong
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Another handy little video. Many Thanks
You are welcome
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I can get you a good deal on baking soda.
I'll bear that in mind if I need any in future ;-)
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i try it in the past and it works loved the video.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
£12!!
😂
Good video
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Good to know mate
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Love your accent
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Great vid as always
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Good video simple and effective. Don't know what brand of vinegar, baking soda you use but 12quid you are being ripped off
Like I said, it was bought online ;-)
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Great video. Always worth checking the overflow has the capacity to deal with the tap on full. Any ideas how to restore the chrome plating/decor around a sink strainer without replacement?
I don't think there is anything you can do apart from replacing it.
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