The Green Parent

You know its Monday when your day starts off with a screaming toddler, a juice spill that reaches from one end of the counter to the other, and a clogged sink drain. The toddler and the spill I can handle with a snack and a towel, respectively. But how can I take care of the clogged drain without reaching for a bottle of chemicals? Here’s the green fix for clogged drains…

• Baking Soda and Vinegar: Turns out, my favorite ingredients for cleaning the house are also the best ingredients for clearing a clogged drain. Just pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. Stopper the drain so the bubbling action of the baking soda/vinegar mix will be concentrated on the clog.
• Break Out The Snake: If you’ve got a really tough clog, or a problem drain, you may want to pick up a plumbing “snake” (or auger) at your local hardware store. The snake is basically a long tightly coiled metal cable with a corkscrew on one end and a crank on the other. By turning the crank, you can feed the snake down the drain until it comes in contact with the clog.

  When it hits the obstruction, just yank it out and voila, the clog will clear!

A clogged drain is never fun, but at least with these tips you’ll know how to unclog it without tossing a bottle full of caustic chemicals down the drain. Happy Monday!