How to unclog a sewer with baking soda and vinegar

When a plaque forms in the sewer, it happens that, for various reasons, it is not possible to resort to the help of plumbers. If such a situation arises, you can try to clear the blockage yourself. This will require soda and vinegar.

What is a blockage and how is it dangerous

During the operation of sewer pipes, over time, plaque accumulates on them in the form of grease, detergents and food debris. This can make it difficult to drain the water down the drain. The layer of dirt can be so thick that it completely blocks the drain. The problem is equally relevant for both metal and plastic pipes. Most of all, the pipe connected to the kitchen sink is susceptible to blockages, the second place in the risk group is taken by the pipe on the bath drain. A blockage in the toilet bowl pipes can only occur due to operational violations, when rags, plastic bags and hygiene products get into the pipe.

In addition to the regular ingress of fat and organic matter into the pipes, the cause of blockages may be the incorrect location of the water supply system, in particular, a small slope or overflow of the cesspool, if we are talking about a private house.

The use of soda and vinegar is effective when the first signs of blockage appear, but if the water has completely stopped going into the sewer, you will have to use a mechanical cleaning method using a special cable.

What you need to prepare for cleaning

Before starting the cleaning procedure, it is necessary to block the access of water in the system, remove the siphons, disassemble and clean them. Previously, under the sedimentation tanks, you need to put some kind of container to drain dirty water and settled sediments. After the siphons are cleaned and assembled, you can proceed to cleaning the sewer pipes. To do this, you need to prepare:

• Baking soda. Approximately 250 grams per plum.
• Vinegar. About 100 ml per drain.
• Three liters of boiling water.
• Thick cloth to seal the drain hole tightly.
• Latex gloves.
• Respiratory protection mask.
• You can also use goggles, as the vapors of vinegar can aggressively affect the mucous membrane.

Several cleaning methods using baking soda and vinegar

Method 1

• Pour prepared soda into the drain hole. It is very important that at this moment it remains dry.
• Gently pour 100-150 ml of vinegar into the baking soda. It is better if it is slightly heated. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the dose, it is not recommended to pour more vinegar.
• Quickly plug the drain hole with a rag so that the starting reaction propagates inside the pipe.
• Leave the pipe in this state for half an hour. During this time, as a result of a chemical reaction, the sediments clogging the pipe should dissolve.
• While cleaning is in progress, you need to prepare boiling water.
• After the allotted time, the rag should be removed and gradually pour all the prepared boiling water into the drain hole.

If, after all the manipulations done, the water still does not go into the drain well enough, the procedure must be repeated. This can be done without using vinegar, using only a soda solution.

This is done according to the following scheme:

• Half a pack of salt is poured into the drain hole, so that the powder in its entirety fits into the drain pipe.
• Next, 600-700 ml of boiling water is poured.

This method is effective as a repeated cleaning agent after more intense exposure, as an independent manipulation for a slight blockage, and also as a preventive measure.

Method 2

For this method, in addition to all of the above, you will need citric acid.

• Mix vinegar and citric acid. The mixture does not need to be heated. You can use the juice of half a lemon.
• Similarly to the first method, pour soda into the drain and then carefully pour in the vinegar-lemon mixture.
• Plug the drain hole with a rag and keep the compound in the pipe for two hours.
• After the allotted time, turn on the hottest water and flush the sewer for about ten minutes.

Method 3

If the blockage is strong enough, the above methods may not be effective enough. To achieve the desired result, you can increase the acidity of the composition used. To do this, you need to use soda ash. You can make it at home.

• Put 150 grams of baking soda in a frying pan and heat.
• When heated above 60 degrees, a reaction will begin, as a result of which water and carbon dioxide will evaporate and only soda ash will remain in the pan.
• The resulting powder must be cooled and poured into the sewer.
• Then pour 80 ml of vinegar and wait two hours.
• After the allotted time, rinse the drain with warm water.

Salt can serve as an alternative to vinegar in the above methods. This option is suitable for those who suffer from intolerance to vinegar fumes or in the event that vinegar is simply not at hand.

You will need half a packet of baking soda and the same amount of salt. The ingredients must be mixed and poured into the drain hole. On top of the dry ingredients, gradually pour about a liter of boiling water. In the next eight hours, the sewage system will not be able to be used, during this time all the reactions necessary for cleaning must go through, so it is best to perform this procedure at night. After the allotted time, you need to open the cold water tap and make sure that the drain cleaning was successful.

You can also use a plunger to speed up the process. It will quickly and effectively remove the remaining plugs.

You should not use folk sewer cleaning methods and purchased chemicals immediately one after another. This can lead to the formation of toxic fumes.

It is always better to prevent any problem than to deal with its consequences. In order to prevent a strong blockage, you need to react in a timely manner to the fact that the water has become worse to go into the drain. It is at this time that it is effective to clean the sewage system with soda and vinegar. Timely organized manipulation will help not only cope with the first signs of blockage, but also serve as an excellent prevention.