Water puddles in the shower, sink taking longer than usual to drain, gurgling sounds, and unpleasant smells – we all know that these are signs of a developing clog in the drainage system of our house. Still, many of us have been guilty of ignoring them until the day the drain gets completely clogged or the toilet overflows at night.
Accept it or not, most of us have been guilty of doing this. While drain clogs start as minor issues, they can get worse and create a huge mess if not treated quickly.
Ideally, drain cleaning should be a part of spring and winter cleaning routines (or whenever you deep clean your house) and you should get the drainage system checked and cleaned by a professional for drain cleaning in Arlington, TX, once a year. Also, you should keep an eye on your household drains and act quickly when there is a warning sign.
How To Deal With Clogged Drains
Different people respond to clogged drains in different ways – some start panicking while others start pouring the harsh chemical-based products made for drain cleaning in Arlington, TX down the pipes.
What should you do?
First things first, keep your cool and do not use those over-the-counter strong chemical based cleaners; they can do more harm than good.
While ideally you should call a professional drain cleaning service in Arlington, TX, what will you doif there isn’t a plumber available or you are faced with a blocked drain in the middle of the night?
Here is what your line of action should be until the plumber arrives:
Try Out Some DIYs
Sometimes, the problem isn’t that big and can easily be resolved on your own. So, try out some DIYs first and may be you don’t even need to call a professional for drain cleaning in Arlington, TX.
Here are a few things that you can try to remove the blockages in your drains:
• Use a Bent Wire Hanger
Simple enough? Yes, it is, but it can be very effective if you use it the right way.
All you have to do is to grab a wire hanger from your cupboard, straighten it out, and then bend one end of the hanger to make a hook. Your DIY tool is ready to pull out the gunk, hair and other nasty stuff that’s blocking your drain.
Push the hanger down the drain, as deep as you can, move it around and then slowly pull it out. Just make sure you are not pushing the gunk further down the drain. You may have to repeat the process a few times, but if you are doing it right you should be able to pull out the thing(s) that had clogged the pipe.
This method is usually effective for removing clogs caused due to hair, large pieces of foods or peels, sanitary napkins, and gunk buildup. Give it a try while you are waiting for the drain cleaning in Arlington, TX to send a plumber to your home.
• Good Ol’ Hot Water
Another simple tip for drain cleaning in Arlington, TX is to fill a large pot with water and bring it to boil. Now pour one-third of the hot water slowly down the blocked drain. Wait for a few seconds and then pour half of the remaining water. Leave it again for a fee seconds and then pour all the remaining water.
Removing drain blockages can’t get any easier than this. Hot water can help remove clogs caused by soap scum, oil, grease, or paper.
• Use Wet & Dry Vacuum
Your wet and dry vacuum cleaner can come in handy in case of a plumbing emergency, especially when you are unable to reach a professional plumber for drain cleaning in Arlington, TX.
Adjust the setting of the vacuum cleaner for liquids and place it over the clogged drain, creating a tight seal. Now, turn on the vacuum on the highest setting – make sure to cover the vent to avoid creating a mess. While it doesn’t always work, but it can sometimes pull out whatever is stuck in the drain pipe.
• Baking Soda and Salt
Take half a cup of baking soda and salt each, mix them together and then pour the mixture down the clogged drain. Let the ingredients work for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.
After 20 minutes, pour the hot water down the drain. As per many homeowners’ reviews, this method can help dissolve some of the most stubborn and nastiest blockages.
• Dish Detergent
Many people have found dish detergent to be helpful in dissolving blockages caused by grease, fat, and oil buildup.
Simply pour about one-fourth cup of dish detergent down the blocked drain pipe followed by hot water, after a couple of minutes. If it seems like a stubborn clog, use a plunger after this.
Important: Do not try too many DIYs and home remedies one after the other as this can cause permanent damage to your drain pipes. Try a couple of things and if they don’t work, call a plumber from a reputable drain cleaning service in Arlington, TX to deal with the problem. It may be a stubborn clog and may need the use of professional machinery to remove.
If you live in Arlington, Fort Worth, or Mansfield, look nowhere else than Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Service; the leading and most trusted drain cleaning service in these areas.