3 Great Methods For Unblocking Pipes Which Are Safe And Cost Effective

When it comes to using cleaning products for the home you are spoilt for choice with umteen products to choose from but did you know that the chemicals used can be quite dangerous in their own right. You may not realise it but some of the chemicals used, although they do a good job of cleaning, are actually harmful to your pipework. Constant use can lead to the pipes being damaged which will mean more expense some time in the future. What people also don't know is that there are a number of alternatives which can be used that pose no threat to yourself or the environment as they are completely natural remedies. 

It was quite an eye opener to understand that I could not only save the environment but also cut down my costs considerably by using the alternative methods to cleaning my pipework to erradicate problems with blocked drains. To back up these methods I looked up the phone number for plumber St Albans to get a plumber in my area so that I could ask him what he thought. I'm pleased to say that the plumber was both helpful and agreed that the methods I am about to share with you for cleaning pipes and unblocking drains works equally as well. 

If you happen to be in the unfortunate position of having a blocked sink or drain already you should try using a decent plunger to loosen the blockage. This is the first thing a professional plumber will do in any case but if you can, try to get a good quality plunger as all plungers are not alike. 

What you can do to help prevent any blockages from happening in the first place is to use boiling water to pour down the plug hole. Boiling water is very good at removing build ups of food, grease and hair so it should be your first port of call when it comes to maintaining clear pipes. It costs next to nothing to use and is in plentyful supply so just about anyone can do this. Make sure you pour a kettle full or two of water into the plug hole and do this once every couple of weeks. You'll be amazed at how much debris is removed just by doing this one simple task. 

If you happen to have partially clear pipework where the water is emptying out but slowly you can use something as simple and cheap as baking powder which when added with boiling water will cut through blockages like a hot knife through butter. It's not a cure all for really blocked pipes but it is good in cutting through grease and oil build up so is definitely worth trying.

If you really want to increase the potentcy of the baking powder add an equal amount of white vinegar as well and then top that off with plenty of boiling water. You'll be surprised at how powerful this is and may never bother using commercial cleaning products again. Vinegar has been used for thousands of years for allsorts of remedies and is often the preferred ingredient because it usually works so well but it's best not to mix synthetic chemicals with vinegar as this can have an adverse reaction. So if the natural way of baking soda and vinegar doesn't work make sure you add plenty more boiling water first to reduce the strength of the vinegar.

Another method is to use washing soda but my plumber from St Albans also warned against using it too often as it could lead to pipe damage which I didn't know about so I'm glad he told me. For really troublesome drains which are blocked solid use the washing soda first and allow it to settle down into where the pipe is clogged up. The washing soda is very good at breaking down food which should make some headway after a little time. Once you have allowed enough time you should then use the baking powder, vinegar combo to loosen things up more and then follow with a good amount of boiling water. 

This method will disslodge most stubborn drainage problems but there will be times when more methods are needed. At this point you should avoid using commercial cleaning products as the combination of chemicals mixed with washing soda, baking powder and vinegar will almost certainly cause a negative reaction which could be quite damaging. 

Your alternative at this point is to find a plumber either in the paper, the Yellow pages or on-line and ask for their help. There are usually lots of plumbers to choose from as you only need to look for a plumber under a location so plumber St Albans or plumber Watford for instance would give you a list as long as your arm.

Professional plumbers should be able to fix any problem from this point on as they have a range of tools including what's known as a plumbing snake which is specifically designed for blockages. They also have some really powerful plungers which again will erradicate your problem but hopefully it won't come to this.