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Rather than calling out a plumber who is going to charge you just for inspecting the issue, you can fix it yourself within “minutes”. Plumbing expert Lee Waring at HomeHow.co.uk revealed his go-to method to unclog drains – and you likely already have what you need at home.
A whole host of substances can lead to a blocked drain, especially when it comes to the shower drain. There can be a build up of hair and soap scum – even small objects may find themselves whizzing down the drain. Typically, there are visual clues that a drain has become blocked; firstly, water will take longer to go down the drain.
“If some foul smells are coming from your water fixtures, this is a dead giveaway of a blockage,” said Mr Waring.
“Any unusual smells that are coming from your shower, bath, sink, or toilet are usually the most obvious signs of an underlying drainage issue.”
Mr Waring added: “In many cases, bad odours will come from the drains before any visual symptoms emerge.”
Then there are unusual sounds in the pipes and fixtures that can signal a blocked drain.
“You can often unblock a drain yourself,” Mr Waring certified, revealing the simple cleaning hack.
“Begin by carefully pouring some boiling water down the drain to remove any loose debris that may be stuck,” said Mr Waring.
“Grab half a cup of baking soda and pour this down the drain; allow it to sit for a few minutes.”
He added: “Mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of hot water; pour the mixture down the drain over the baking soda.”
You will then need to “quickly over up the drain with a cloth or plug to create pressure”. Mr Waring elaborated: “This will help the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar to dislodge the blockage.”
This mixture should then be left for around “15 to 30 minutes to allow a chemical reaction to take place”.
Mr Waring noted that the final steps involve removing the cloth or plug and pouring more boiling water down the drain to flush away the dissolved blockage.
“Test the drain by running the shower for a few minutes to check if it’s clear,” advised Mr Waring.
