When your drain starts to block and you don't want to spend money on chemical unblocking products from the supermarket, household remedies can be effective. One of the most popular drain unblocking home hacks that get proposed is the use of white vinegar and baking soda. While it seems logical that using this acid and alkaline to unblock your drain would be effective with all that fizzing and bubbling going on, it turns out that the two products neutralise when combined. Their chemical reaction produces water with a tiny bit of salt in it, but unblocking a drain with salty water is “rarely effective”, according to eco-friendly cleaning enthusiast Wendy at Moral Fibres. This is because salty water “doesn’t destroy fats” and other stubborn blockages that may be obstructing your drain.
Why Soda Crystals Work Better
You need something that will break down the fat and tackle the oil and grease that is lodged in your drain. Instead, the cleaning pro “recommends using soda crystals” to help unblock your drain naturally.
Soda crystals are a naturally occurring mineral salt that dissolves in water. They are bleach-free and do not contain any enzymes or phosphates, palm oil, or anything else, other than soda crystals, so they are kinder to the environment than conventional drain cleaners.
Wendy explained: “What makes soda crystals a great choice for this job is that soda crystals have detergent properties, which help tackle dirt and grease. It’s these grease-fighting properties that make it great at dealing with fat-clogged drains.”
How to Unblock Drains with Soda Crystals
First of all, boil a full kettle of water. Once boiled, carefully and slowly pour the kettle of water down your drain. This will help dissolve any fat and oil blockages.
Once the boiling water has finally drained away, pour a large cup of soda crystals down your drain. Leave the soda crystals to sit for five to 10 minutes in your drain to help break up fat and grease deposits.
Next, boil another kettle full of water. Once boiled, carefully and slowly pour the kettle of water down the drain to wash the soda crystals and broken-down fat and grease away.
Take care, as you may get splashes of boiling water as the soda crystals get to work on the blockages. Repeat the first and last steps until your drain is clear. You should be able to see an improvement every time you repeat these steps.
