Baking Soda And Vinegar
Sometimes baking soda doesnt work well on its own, requiring something a bit stronger to clean out the gunk from your drains.
Luckily, adding some vinegar to the process can help since the alkaline properties of the baking soda react with the acid properties of the vinegar.
When combined, these two products create carbon dioxide and water, which fizzes around everything in your drain, dissolving it quickly to clear out the mess.
Using baking soda and vinegar to reduce clogs in your drain is similar to the water method we described above.
Heres the method in detail:
The water should run much more smoothly down the drain after this point, depending on how bad the clog was.
You can also repeat this process if necessary to get rid of any leftover residue.
Myth Or Fact: Cleaning Drains With Baking Soda And Vinegar
Dave Balkan: Hi, this is part 6 of the Balkan video challenge Sewer Fact or Myth. Folks out there, I see the videos all the time, that baking soda and vinegar cleans out clogged drains. Christina, do you think that that actually works?
Christina: I dont know, I never tried it, I think we should try it. I am doubtful.
Dave Balkan: For those of us that have never seen this before live, Ive never seen this before, this is a little baking soda. This is a little vinegar. What whoa look what happens! That foams up like crazy, and that was only a little bit. Still foaming up.
Christina: But were gonna find out very soon if it works.
Dave Balkan: So the first thing were gonna do, is we gonna have to make a clog that a homeowner might have, right?
Christina: Yes. So what do these folks put down their drain?
Dave Balkan: Coffee grounds, maybe they get some dirt in their drain, hair.
Christina: Ive had that experience.
Dave Balkan: Im not a redhead by the way.
Christina: How about grease?
Dave Balkan: Oh you know what , youre so smart. She is pretty smart. So, uh, butter is grease, right? Because you folks put all sorts of things down your drain.
Christina: What a mess!
Dave Balkan: I want to make sure we have a clog to do this experiment, here on Sewer Fact or Myth.
Christina: We sure do have a clog.
Cut Through Kitchen Grease
“I love baking soda for so many things,” says cleaning expert Mary Findley, who shares her favorite method for cleaning scorched stove drip pans. Remove the dirty pans and place them in a sink or small tub. Bring vinegar to a boil in the microwave. Sprinkle baking soda on the pans and add the boiling vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Wipe with a wet sponge and rinse. Repeat as needed.
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Tackle Tough Cleaning Jobs With Baking Soda Using These Techniques And Formulas From Cleaning Professionals In The Know
Jessica Bennett is an editor, writer, and former digital assistant home editor at BHG. She covers interior design, decorating, home improvement, cleaning, organizing, and more. With nearly five years of combined experience in digital and magazine journalism, she has contributed over 800 articles for BHG.com to date, and her writing on interior design and decorating has been featured in 16 national print magazines, including Do It Yourself, Country Home, Beautiful Kitchens & Baths, Secrets of Getting Organized, and more. She is currently pursuing an interior design certificate from the New York Institute of Art + Design.
Baking soda can do so much more than simply help your baked goods rise. When applied to messes around the house, this powdery substance acts as an odor-absorber and a mild abrasive that can quickly loosen stuck-on gunk without damaging the surface. Pair baking soda with other household cleaners, such as dishwashing liquid, and it becomes an even more powerful cleaning agent, allowing you to break through greasy residue, polish metal, unclog drains, and more. Plus, you can find this all-purpose cleaner at any grocery store, and it’s often available in large quantities at an affordable price. See how cleaning experts use the powerhouse pantry ingredient around the house with these 14 ways to clean with baking soda.
Does Baking Soda And Vinegar Unclog A Sink
The Science: How Baking Soda & Vinegar Help Unclog Drains Vinegar is made up of water and acetic acid, which is an acid. Baking soda, vinegar and boiling water can help clean drains naturally, but you may need something stronger, like Liquid-Plumr, to fully unclog those really tough drain clogs.
How long does baking soda and vinegar take to unclog a drain?
five to 10 minutesSprinkle baking soda down the drain. Pour in the vinegar and let it fizz for five to 10 minutes. Pour in boiling water .
How do you unclog a sink with baking soda?
Regularly add boiling water with a grease-fighting dish soap down the drain to prevent the buildup of greasy clogs. Freshen your drains by adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to the drain and allowing it to sit overnight, then flushing with hot water or hot vinegar in the morning.
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The Science: How Baking Soda & Vinegar Help Unclog Drains
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a base. Vinegar is made up of water and acetic acid, which is an acid.
When you combine these, a reaction happens where molecules get exchanged, creating carbon dioxide and water that bubbles through the clog, breaking it up to create loose material.
And drainage pipes arent pressurized like your typical water system. When you use boiling water to flush the drain, pressure is added. Along with gravity, this pressure helps remove unwanted goop out of the pipes and unclogs drains.
Baking soda, vinegar and boiling water can help clean drains naturally, but you may need something stronger, like Liquid-Plumr, to fully unclog those really tough drain clogs.
Benefits Of Using Baking Soda & Vinegar As A Drain Cleaner
With time, baking soda and vinegar may work as a natural drain cleaner on weaker drain clogs, and the benefits of regular drain cleaning can help keep your drains free of clogs.
But for tough drain clogs that need to be dissolved right away, you may want to use a stronger drain cleaner, like Liquid-Plumr.
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Mix Baking Soda With Hydrogen Peroxide
Jill Nystul, a cleaning expert and blogger, uses baking soda to create her own kitchen cleanser. She places ¼ cup baking soda in a small glass bowl and mixes in enough hydrogen peroxide to create a paste. She uses the homemade cleaner to polish large and small kitchen appliances, remove water stains from utensils, and erase greasy residue that builds up on baking pans. This baking soda paste also works well for cleaning tile grout.
BHG / Laura Wheatley
Can You Really Clean The Drain With Baking Soda And Vinegar
Youre usually careful about keeping your sink clean, but you just watched your Great Aunt Betty pour a whole skillet full of bacon drippings straight down your drain after a family dinner.
Now all you can think about is having a house full of company and a clogged kitchen sink, hands plunged into gross dishwater with the residue of a dozen plates and cooking pans burping backward onto your basin.
Dont worry because, yes, you really can clean your drain with baking soda and vinegar.
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Pour Half Of The Boiled Water Down The Drain
Its time to carefully pick the pot of boiled water and pour it down the clogged drain. You must protect your hands and other parts of the body with this boiled water and its steam.
You may have noticed some of the messes already eliminated with this natural drain cleaner. If you frequently do this task after a week or two, you may never need the best drain cleaner for your bathroom or kitchen sinks.
The Balkan Drain Team Is The Team You Trust
After just under 70 years in continuous business and over 70,000 satisfied customers, Balkan is The Team You Trust. From the time of your first call, receiving courteous attention, to our guaranteed 4 hour response time, we are your best and most trusted local drain cleaner. Team Balkan operates 7 days a week, and after hours as well. There is never a premium charge for weekends, holidays, or after-hours service calls.
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Is It Safe To Clean Drains With Baking Soda And Vinegar
When used correctly, baking soda and white vinegar are safe to use for drain cleaning. However, it’s important to be careful not to mix too much baking soda with the vinegar, as this can create a dangerous gas. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully and always test any mixture in a small area before applying it to your entire drain.
Baking soda and white vinegar are two of the most common ingredients found in the kitchen, so it’s no surprise that they can also be used to clean drains. These natural ingredients work together to break down clogging agents and help clear your drain.
Baking Soda & Vinegar Sewer Myth Or Fact Myth
Dave Balkan: We still have to add more water. Im going to really give this a legitimate shot. Now we still have a clog. So what do you think, fact or myth?
Christina: Its a myth for sure.
Dave Balkan: Now Im going to introduce one of our Balkan drain techs to see how he does with our specialty air gun. This is the air gun that we use to clean some of the drains that we go out on.
Riando: First we assess the blockage to see what kind of pipe it is. You pump it up to the amount of pressure that you want. Depending on the pipe, thats how much pressure you put. Yeah, it all depends on the pipe. Then you stick it into the drain, where the access point for the drain is. So in this case what Im going to do is, I dont want to have to get anything splashed back, Im going to use a little rag to cover the hole then were gonna pump it through.
Christina: Oh, we got something!
Riando: All right, so this is the flush bag that we use instead of the air sometimes. You attach it to a water hose. You place it inside of the pipe. This is a 2 pipe. It inflates up to 4, so you stick it in as far as it will go. And then you open the water.
Christina: Oh its unclogged! There goes your red hair! After this experiment what do you think?
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The Verdict On Cleaning Drains With Baking Soda And Vinegar
Dave Balkan: Now according to you folks out there, many of you, and all these videos on YouTube cleaning drains with baking soda and vinegar actually works. Here we go, lets try it. What do you think?
Christina: I think its going to be a minor explosion. Maybe Ill keep my safety glasses on.
Dave Balkan: Lets see how it works. First you put in a bunch of baking soda, a bunch of baking soda, right. Then we add the vinegar. Ill even give this two shots if it doesnt work.
Christina: Vinegar, I hear it, I hear a lot of fizzing.
Dave Balkan: But is it all thats going to do is fizz? Did it clean clog?
Christina: No it did not. No it did not all, right?
Dave Balkan: Look were going to put more, because maybe more will work. A lot more. Now were going to add pressure, because maybe thats the missing ingredient to vinegar and baking soda. So were going to close this end, right. Im going to add more down here, a lot more. Holy cow, its the whole box and the vinegar.
Christina: You hear that? Wow.
When To Contact A Professional
If you’ve already tried to use a chemical drain cleaner, like Draino, and that didn’t work, it’s time to call professionals. “If you end up calling a professional please let them know if any chemicals were used and exactly how much of each type so they can take the proper precautions so as not to get hurt in any way,” says Parmenter.
Beyond that, you only need to call a professional if you feel like you need help. If you’ve tried the above options and it’s not working, someone with more expertise could be helpful.
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The Many Uses Of Baking Soda
Baking soda is ever reliable when baking a batch of cookies but thats not the only thing it is good for. One of the best uses outside of cooking for the ingredient is as an abrasive its a quite gentle one at that. Not only that, baking soda also functions very well as a natural deodorizer which is great if you want a simple but effective way to get rid of smells around your house. With all that said, here are the many ways you can use baking soda at home.
Remove Stains And Stink From Plastic Food Containers. We all need food containers to store those leftovers. However, leftovers arent so kind sometimes as they tend to leave a mark either by staining or stinking up your container. Rather than replace a set of containers, why not try to remedy before you make a purchase? Just sprinkle some baking soda on to a clean sponge then wipe your containers to freshen them up. To remove stains, soak your container in a solution comprised of four tablespoons of baking soda and a quart of warm water.
Eliminate Odors From Your Fridge. Fridge packs are sold for a reason and its precisely to eliminate foul smells. However, baking soda is a much more cost-effective solution given that they naturally absorb odors so they dont stay and alter the way other foods taste. You can store a box of baking soda on a shelf to absorb the smell. Then again, if the odor is truly offensive, then its time for a cleanup.
Eliminate Garbage Can Odor.
Can You Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Clean A Drain
Yes, baking soda and vinegar are effective at cleaning drains. When baking soda and vinegar mix together, they create a chemical reaction that can break down the grime and dirt in your drain. Be sure to pour baking soda down the drain first, then follow up with white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes before rinsing with hot water. If your drain is really dirty, you may need to repeat this process a few times.
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When To Use A Drain Snake Or Auger
Drain cleaners break down clogs and flush them through the pipes. Unfortunately, that won’t work for everything.
If any of the solutions above don’t clear the drain, you could try a commercial drain cleaner, but there’s a good chance you actually need to manually unclog whatever is causing the blockage. This happens most with hair, which won’t dissolve in the drain, Jackson says.
A plunger can help loosen some clogs, but for most blockages Jackson recommends using a drain snake. If you’re unfamiliar, a drain snake is long, flexible cable wire with spikes you can use to clean out clogs made from hair and soap scum buildup. Drain snakes also called plumbing snakes or augers come in different sizes to accommodate various pipe lengths.
“It’s less expensive than calling in a plumber, and they’ll probably use the same tool to tackle the job,” Jackson says.
Why Is Baking Soda And Vinegar Recommend As A Drain Cleaner
Maybe the fun chemical reaction tricks our minds with all the bubbling, maybe companies like to sell more of their products, or maybe it is the hot water.
- When you look at baking soda + vinegar drain cleaning instructions youll notice that they recommend following the baking soda/vinegar with nearly boiling water. As shown in the experiment above, extremely hot water does a great job melting FOG clogs.
- Bonus: the weight of the hot water creates pressure on the clog which can help loosen or move it .
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Boiling Water And Dish Soap
Start by heating at least two cups of water in the pot or kettle. When the water comes to a boil, squeeze a bit of the dishwashing liquid into the sink and carefully follow it up with the boiling water. The hot water can help make the process easier by loosening or dissolving the residue in your drain, while the dishwashing liquid helps tackle any grease.
Baking Soda + Vinegar
Baking soda is one of the best natural drain uncloggers that you can buy from any local store. It can perfectly clean sink drains in minutes. Composed of sodium carbonate, baking soda is full of sodium that helps break down dirt and grime.
Baking soda is reactive, meaning that if you add an acid such as vinegar, it will become excited. This compound can jostle and break down grime thats built up in your drain.
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How To Unclog A Drain With Baking Soda:
On its own, baking soda has a number of household uses but combine it with vinegar, and youve got an eco-friendly chemical reaction that can take out even the most stubborn messes. When people discuss unclogging a drain with baking soda, they usually mean baking soda and vinegar. The fizzing, bubbling reaction is perfect for forcing out stubborn clogs.
This method below is adapted from YouTuber Pan the Organizers instructions on how to unclog a drain with baking soda and vinegar.
Step 1: Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain. You can heat this water on the stove or in an electric kettle, but it must still be boiling when it hits that drain.
Step 2: Next, pour one cup of baking soda directly down the drain and let that sit for 5 to 10 minutes. You do not need to combine this with water or vinegar yet, just the baking soda itself will do.
Step 3: Next, pour one cup of white vinegar down the drain as well. The 1:1 ratio is important to achieve the proper chemical reaction. You should see a lot of foaming bubbling up and around the drain this indicates the chemicals are doing their job.
Step 4: If you have a drain cover, cover or plug the drain and wait another 5 to 10 minutes for the chemicals to do their work. Then, pour another pot of boiling water down the drain. This will loosen up all the fizzy gunk youve created.
Step 5: Run the hot tap water for 5 minutes to make sure you have a clear path and the drain is unclogged.