Best way to unblock a badly blocked drain

It is something that every homeowner dreads – the sink taking a while to empty, water pooling in the shower and unpleasant odours lingering around the house. These are all signs that you are dealing with a blocked drain. The outdoor drainpipe performs the essential job of transporting your sewage and wastewater from your home directly to the sewer line, so when this becomes blocked, it can cause a lot of problems!

Before you start searching for “local drain unblockers near me”, we’ve put together a handy little guide of tips and tricks that may stop you from needing a drain unblocker company – it could be an easy fix!!

6 Top Tips to Unblock Your Drains

1. Boiling Water

One of the oldest tricks in the book, and it’s not just an old wives’ tale! Simply fill and boil the kettle, then pour slowly down your drain. The boiling water will then flow down the pipes and hopefully dissolve anything that is in its way! This is one of the quickest and easiest ways to unblock a drain, and you can repeat a couple of times if you want to make sure it has worked properly. As an expert drain company, you can always give us a call for any help and advice, if you are still unsure.

1. Baking Soda and white vinegar

Another easy fix to prevent having to use a drain unblocker  company, and it can be done with household items! This is an excellent alternative to chemical cleaners as it is a natural home remedy. Simply pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed immediately by half a cup of white vinegar. This will cause a fizzing reaction straight away, and hopefully get rid of any hair and gunk that was causing the blockage. Wait for about half an hour, then pour boiling water down to flush everything away. If it doesn’t work, try again in a couple of hours and see if you can get anything it missed the first time. If this still doesn’t work, then it may be time to escalate the situation to us as an experienced drain cleaning company in Liverpool.

2. Plunger

Another tried and tested method – but instead using a simple plunger – may help to get your drains working again. Plungers are a fantastic mechanism that will help to suck out any blockages in your drains. It may take some time, strength and perseverance… it might not work the first time!! If you are still struggling to get suction on your plunger, try adding petroleum jelly to the suction pad to get a better seal and submerge it in water. This should help you get the suction you need to get rid of your blockage. If you are still struggling, remember Mersey Rod are a top drain repair company in Liverpool  and are happy to offer help and advice.

3. Coat Hanger

Another old school method to unblock your drain is to try using a wire coat hanger that is bent so you can reach down the plughole easily. You should be able to dislodge the blockage by gently twisting and pushing the coat hanger, and then you need to hook it and bring the blockage up and out of the drain. This is a simple yet effective method and may mean that you don’t have to get a professional drain unblocker company in to take a look.

4. Cleaning Chemicals

If nothing else has worked, then you may need to try a chemical drain cleaner. There is a wide range of products available from your local shops that have been specially designed to clear your drains. All you need to do is pour the cleaner down the drain and leave them to work their magic! Always follow the instructions and make sure that you leave the room well ventilated when doing so.

5. Call in the professionals

If none of these other methods have worked, it’s time to call in the professional drain unblocker company. Blocked drains can be a real hassle and cause unnecessary stress – especially if they have been blocked for a while! As one of the top companies that deal with drain cleaning in Liverpool, we know that you might not want to attempt to unblock it yourself. We are here to help, advise and we can come and sort out the problem quickly and efficiently so that you can get back to your daily life unhindered!

Prevention is the best method!!

Although we have given quite a few home remedies to try and stop you from having to search for “local drain unblockers near me”, the best thing to do is to try and prevent problems before they ever arise! By making a few simple changes and steps to your daily routine, you can avoid damage and blockages before they turn into something more serious. Here are some quick tips to try and prevent you from using professional drain cleaning in Liverpool:

1. 1. Use a plug screen to prevent debris, hair, food and soap from going down your drains. Make sure that you clean this regularly!
   2. If you don’t use a screen, make sure that you remove larger objects such as hair and food before they go down the sink to prevent blockages.
   3. Don’t pour fat and grease down your drains otherwise you may need Liverpool’s professional drain repair company! Your sink can handle other liquids; however, grease will solidify as it cools down and set in the pipes which creates a hard blockage that is difficult to remove
   4. Be careful about what you put down your toilet – do not flush anything down that is not waste (human… not that we should need to mention that!) or paper. Baby wipes and sanitary products do not break down in the same way that paper does, and will easy block your toilet and pipes.
   5. Use a drain unblocker regularly to get rid of any small blockages and make sure that they don’t turn into something more serious!
   6. Obviously, these steps only minimise the risk of getting a blockage and there could still be accidents regardless of how careful you are. If you keep all this advice in mind, then you can significantly reduce the need to search for “local drain unblockers near me”.
   7. We hope that our tips and advice have been helpful, especially if you are currently experiencing a drain blockage!! If you still need help or advice, or you don’t want to attempt to unblock your own drains, please do not hesitate to give us a call. As an experienced drain unblocker company, we will be more than happy to take a look for you!