Clogged pipes could lead to issues such as not being able to have a long, hot shower and having to turn your water off as you wait for a fix. How could common ingredients like salt help? Here’s how…
How to keep drains clear with salt
If clogging is a repeat problem with your pipes, you can carry out this step intermittently to help better function.
It works on drains in sinks, showers, and tubs.
All you need is half a cup each of baking powder, salt, and vinegar and a pint and a half of boiling water.
Just before going to bed – to allow the solution to sit overnight, giving it more time to do what its supposed to – do the following:
- Pour the salt and the baking powder into the drain.
- Add the vinegar and let the mixture foam for roughly a minute.
- Flush with at least three pints of boiling water.
The salt will help break down grease and emulsified fats so that they can be flushed through the pipes more easily by the vinegar and hot water.
Other tips for avoiding clogs this winter
The salt mixture is a good way to break down fats and other hair products that might be causing blockages further down, but there are daily steps you can do to prevent needing to clear your drains out in the first place.
- Don’t pour cooking oil down the drain. Instead keep it in an old coffee jar or container and put it in the bin.
- Don’t put coffee beans down the drain. Throw grounds away or add them to your compost bin instead.
- Add a strainer to your kitchen sink. This will catch any food bits which can be easier picked out and put in the bin.