How to Unclog a Drain with Vinegar

If you notice that the water in your bathtub or sink drains very slowly, your pipes may be clogged. Fortunately, if detected early, you can clear the water pipes yourself with substances available in the house. Vinegar, baking powder, borax, and hot water are simple but very effective agents for unclogging clogged pipes.

Table of Contents

Prepare Drainage Mixture

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Drain all the water in the sink or in the tub. If the water flows too slowly, this may take a while. However, if you drain all the water, the unblocking mixture will work faster and more effectively.

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Get cleaning agents, substances used in the kitchen. You have a lot of options for making homemade drain cleaners and creating a chemical reaction when combined. Check to see if you have the following drain cleaners:

Vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar) is a basic acidic solution that causes a foaming reaction.
Lemon juice is acidic like vinegar but has a cooler aroma. Lemon juice is a good choice for unclogging kitchen sinks.
Baking soda is often used as an all-purpose cleaner.
Salt will help corrode blockages in pipes.
Solder is often used as an all-purpose cleaner.

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Pour vinegar and drain cleaners down the drain. There is no need to mix substances before pouring. The mixture will foam on its own and a chemical reaction will take place. ^{[1] X Research Source}

For baking soda and vinegar mixture: use 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup white vinegar.
For the lemon juice and baking soda mixture: use 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of lemon juice.
For the salt, borax, and vinegar mixture: use 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup salt, and 1/2 cup vinegar.

Impact on Deadlock

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Cover and let the mixture rest. You can use a hose stopper or a cloth with hot steam to seal the pipe. Seal the tube for 30 minutes. At this point, the foam will work to erode the clog. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Drain the pipe. Use a small rubber unblocking tool the size of the sink to apply pressure to the clog. Seal and firmly press the rubber end down the drain hose mouth and push the tool up and down.

A drain cleaner works best when you’re filling your bathtub or sink with water. The water will increase the pressure and clear the clog.

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Use the hook to pull the trash out of the clog. If the pipe is blocked by hair, take a metal hook and break it into a long metal wire with a small hook at the end. Carefully thread the hook end of the metal wire down the pipe. Rotate the hook to hook all the trash out. Once the trash has caught on the hook, gently pull the cord out.

Be careful not to let the metal scratch the tub or sink. You should also be careful when bending or breaking the hook because the metal is very sharp.

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Use a wire pipe unclogging tool. This is a tool shaped like a long piece of metal rope. You need to thread this tool carefully into the drain pipe. When the piece of wire is caught, rotate the wire slightly so that the garbage in the hose gets caught in the wire. As you slowly pull the cord out, the plumbing will clear. Drain the water and repeat the process. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You should wear protective gloves because metal tools can be very sharp. You should prepare an old towel and a small bucket to put garbage in the pipe.

Drain Pipe

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Flush the pipe with hot water. Bring to a boil at least 6 cups of hot water or several full kettles. Open the cap and slowly pour hot water down the pipe.

If your home uses plastic pipes, don’t use too hot water. Avoid pouring boiling water into the pipe. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Repeat the process. If the water is still draining slowly, repeat the process until the water can drain completely.

If the water still doesn’t drain completely, there’s likely a lot of hair stuck in the pipe. Manual action may be required to clear clogged pipes. You should call a plumber, especially if the hose has completely stopped flowing.

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Use gravity and pressure to unclog pipes. This method works best with the drain in the bathtub because you can fill tens of liters of water into the tub. Fill the tub with hot water, then open the drain cap and let the pressure of the water clear the clog. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Advice

Check to make sure the water pipes are not corroded.
You will see the situation improve after trying 2 or 3 times. If the pipe has a lot of hair stuck inside, you will remove all the garbage and blockages inside.
These methods work best when you get the problem resolved before the pipe is completely blocked.

Warning

Concentrated vinegar (acetic acid) and caustic soda can also be used to clear pipes, but these substances are often irritating to the skin, causing irritation to the skin, eyes, nose and throat. Avoid direct contact with skin, eyes and clothing.
Avoid using these methods if you have already poured commercial unclogging products down the pipe. Vinegar can combine with chemicals in commercial drain unblocking solutions to form dangerous gases.

Steps

Prepare Drainage Mixture

Impact on Deadlock

Drain Pipe

Advice

Warning

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