How to Unblock a Drain Fast? Check These 6 Steps!

Is a blocked drain giving you a headache, making a mess, and disturbing the smooth running of your home or premises? It can even be a health hazard as well, often requiring an urgent or even emergency call to your trusty plumber.

But what if you could cook up a DIY storm and learn how to unblock a drain for yourself? While a licensed plumber is required for almost all household plumbing repairs, and although it’s true that fiddling with your drains too much is not allowed, there are some things you can try that are not only legal – they often really do work!

How to clear blocked drains with DIY methods

First up, a slap on the wrist: Have you or another household member been flushing anything other than dirty dishwater down the drain? If you’ve been saying goodbye to grease, paint and barbie dolls down the drain, you’ve brought your foul, messy, disruptive, unhealthy and potentially expensive blocked drains on all by yourself. More likely, however, is that hair, scraps, coffee grounds and other everyday ‘down the drain’ items have backed up your drain – so what’s next?

Before giving our experts in clearing Sydney blocked drains a call, try these simple DIY hacks that might save you a visit from the plumber. How to unblock drains? Here are 6 suggestions that really do work!

1. Boil the kettle

And when it’s boiled, don’t pour a cup of coffee quite yet. Instead, grab those steaming hot contents and pour them down the drain. To be extra sure, boil another kettle-full of water and give it a second shot. No plunger, no chemicals, no rubber gloves – easy!

2. Grab some baking soda

But we’ll be honest: sometimes hot H2O just isn’t enough to unblock drain gunk that’s really stubborn. Many people swear by a little recipe of baking soda and vinegar, washing it all down that clogged drain and following it up with another full kettle of boiling water. Voila!

3. Use a plunger

Truth be told, though – you’re probably not going to get away without adding some elbow grease to that recipe as well. If you don’t have a plunger, head down to any hardware store and grab one for pocket change. Just make sure the head is big enough to completely seal the drain opening, especially for blocked toilets. Now … use those muscles and don’t stop until you’re sweating!

4. Say hello to a drain snake

Fear not – we’re not talking about those huge electronic versions that you’ll see plumbers use. You can also buy smaller drain snakes, sometimes called drain augers, that can really get into your drains to dislodge those nasty blockages. You’ll also find suctions pumps and other hand-held tools that are great for unblocking drains.

5. Tackle the P trap

Do you have a blocked sink drain? If you’re really feeling confident, there’s nothing stopping you trying to remove the U-bend from under your sink to see if the blockage is in there. And if it all goes wrong in the process, there’s always option 6…

6. Call Affordable Plumbing Solutions

If you’ve failed to unblock a drain, don’t let it give you down – because the guaranteed workmanship and truly affordable prices offered by Affordable Plumbing Solutions is only ever around the corner. We know how to unblock drain problems of every type and magnitude, thanks to our up-to-date skills, our constant supply of experience and all the latest tools and technology. Even underground pipes can be repaired without digging up your yard with innovative drain pipe relining services available.

For a fast solution with a great price, why not learn how to unblock a drain by watching the affordable Sydney plumbing experts at work? For affordable plumbing services in  Willoughby, Chatswood, Lane Cove, Belrose and beyond, get in touch today.