The Easiest, Cheapest, Nontoxic Way to Unclog a Drain
Forget everything you know about clearing clogged sink and tub
drains. Throw away your snakes, plungers and drain cleaners. (OK, maybe
not your plunger.) There are only two methods you need to know to clear
clogs, and neither one of them costs more than a few gallons of tap
water. First, it’s a good idea to be proactive. If you notice that the
water is draining more slowly, partially fill the offending vessel with
cold water. Then open the drain. Usually, the weight of all that water is enough to clear a minor clog.
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If water weight is not enough,
fill the sink or tub halfway again and make a stopper for the overflow
hole. I did it with a wine bottle cork wrapped to the right diameter
with electrical tape (shown here). You can also use a wet rag.
Next, open the drain and use the cupped palm of your hand like a plunger to add a bit of pressure. This will clear most minor clogs. |
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No luck? Time to bring out the
heavy artillery. Connect your garden hose to an outdoor spigot and drag
it to your sink or tub, even if it's located on the second floor.
Undo the plastic nut in the drain under the sink and withdraw the lever that moves the stopper. |
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Remove the stopper and replace the nut before proceeding, or water will leak from this spot when you turn on the hose.
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Poke the hose in the drain and plug up the overflow hole.
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Stuff a dampened towel around the
hose good and tight. Have a helper turn on the outdoor spigot. After a
few seconds, you should hear the sweet swishing sound of freely draining
water.
A few additional tips:
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