Photo Credit: Flickr/Donald Macleod
Is there anything more frustrating than clogged drains? Well, yes but clogged drains are plenty irritating. I often have clogging issues because I have thick hair that sheds like crazy. So I am often faced with what to do to clear the clog. I do not want to use corrosive chemicals that can be harmful not only to myself, but also to my family, the plumbing system, and to whatever the chemicals come into contact with in the environment once it leaves my house. I have a special consideration as well, I live in a condo on the third floor and if I used something that burned through the plumbing, my neighbor downstairs would be really angry!
For the bathroom sink drains, the solution is easy. I remove the drain from under the sink and clean it out manually. On most sinks, the apparatus is easy to remove without the need for tools of any kind. First, put a bucket under the drain because there will be a little water when you take it apart and usually the trap is full of nasty stuff. Then loosen the fasteners (called slip nuts) to remove the trap and any other pieces that are easily removed. Place the pipe pieces in the bucket and keep the bucket there for a minute while you use an old toothbrush to scrub down the drain both from the sink side and from underneath. Run a little bit of water to wash out the residue. I also use the toothbrush in the pipe that comes out of the wall to see if there is anything I can clean out of there too. I take everything to an alternate sink and clean out the pipes with soap and the toothbrush, and then it’s ready to put back together. This method takes a little elbow grease and sometimes a strong stomach but it is one of the greenest ways to resolve your drain problem.
The bathtub/shower is unfortunately not that easy. There is usually no access to the drain on a tub so we are forced to use other methods. If you don’t have a serious problem with someone in your household shedding, you may be able to get away with regular maintenance with baking soda, vinegar and boiling water. Just fill the drain with ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. Then rinse down with a kettle full of boiling water. I do this every month or two just to keep on top of the potential clogs.
Recently, I had a clog that was too stubborn for baking soda. I found a product that worked great and was not a caustic chemical. It’s called the Zip-It Drain Tool. It is an 18 inch barbed strip that you shove down the drain and when you pull it out, it brings the clog with it. It is amazing! I again warn that what you could pull out of the drain is gross so make sure you assign this task to a person with a stomach made of steel. But the payoff is you shouldn’t have to use chemicals again. Just keep the Zip-It on hand for stubborn clogs but keep up with the baking soda maintenance and you should always have free flowing drains!
The only drawback to the Zip-It (you will know if you have read my past blogs) is that it is made of plastic. I try to avoid plastic whenever possible but I will admit when plastic has its place. In this case, the Zip-It is an alternative to releasing chemicals into your water and air, so it seems to be an appropriate use of plastic. But, don’t wimp out and treat the Zip-It as a one use item, you can clean it off and keep it for future clogs, and take it to friends and family for them to use too.
If you are still having drain problems after you have tried everything above, call a plumber to make sure you don’t have a larger problem, but call one that focuses on green practices. There are a few out there, you just have to look for them. Let’s do all we can to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals in our plumbing and throughout our homes. Need more tips on green plumbing? Need help finding a green plumber? Leave me a comment here or email me at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com.
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