How to Unclog Drains with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Is your bathroom starting to smell worse than a bathroom should ever smell? Will no air freshener mask the stench coming from within? Chances are, the smell could be coming from your sink or bathtub, rather than from the toilet. This past weekend, it took me a while to figure out what was causing the awful smell in my house, but I finally realized that one of the bathroom drains were clogged. With a little vinegar and baking soda, the stale odor quickly disappeared.

Here's what you need to unclog drains with baking soda and vinegar.

• three-fourths cup baking soda
• one half cup white distilled vinegar
• one pot boiling water

It's a very simple procedure. Just follow the directions below.

1. Reach into the drain and pull out solids to help the vinegar and baking soda to their job more efficiently. Dispose of any waste in a trash can.

2. Pour three-fourths of a cup of baking soda down each drain. I did both the sink and bathtub, just to be sure. Although it will try to pile up around the drain, try to get as much of the baking soda into the pipes as you can.

3. Slowly pour a half cup of vinegar down the drains after the baking soda. It will start to foam and bubble up. Quickly stop it with a plug or a rag--if you can--so the action happens inside the pipes. Let sit for about a half hour.

4. While you are waiting, boil a pot of water. After a half hour, unplug the drains and pour a pot of boiling water down each--slowly and carefully. If the problem is not solved immediately, repeat the procedure.

5. Maintain the drains with this natural solution on a monthly basis.

One time did the trick for me; the smell in my bathroom disappeared almost immediately. You may need to clean out your drains with this solution regularly to ensure they don't clog and become a problem again. Rather than buying expensive chemicals when your drains become clogged, use safe, natural alternatives to unclog and to maintain your bathroom pipes.

Other ways to unclog drains naturally include:

• Try a sink plunger to help get rid of clogs in your plumbing.
• Use a snake or auger to pull out hair clumps or other solids.
• Hire a professional to take care of stubborn clogs.