Eco-Friendly Drain Cleaner
I grew up in the 80s, where leg warmers and Aqua Net were all the rage. My big head of hair didn't just impress the boys (I kid!), it made a lasting impression on my Dad as well. I have fond memories of him opening up the walls in our house to rid the poor pipes of the HAIR.Long, thick, frizzy kind of hair. All in the name of being trendy, Dad.
I'm back to having long hair again, much to my husband's unclogging delight. It's not uncommon for us to pour money down the drain via El Drano, and its ominous gray-black bottle. But lately I've been thinking about the Water System, realizing that What Goes In, Must Come Out.
I'm not exactly sure where all those caustic chemicals go once they're down the drain, or how (if!) they're removed. I plan to teach that to my kids, you know, once I've figured it out for myself.
I like to give the ol' baking soda and vinegar a try, using instructions I found in Vinegar: A Guide to the Many Types and Their Uses Around the Home:
Put 2/3 cup baking soda followed by 1 scant cup vinegar down the drain and leave it for ten minutes. This blend creates a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide and sodium acetate that will shift anything causing the blockage. Flush clean water through the pipe and your drain should be clear again.
Voila! It works--especially when it's done on a more regular basis.
For more spring-cleaning tips, head over to Works For Me Wednesday.
Or you can check out more tips from my own brain matter, as wobbly and weird as it is.
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17 comments:
You just saved me a trip to the store. I can mark Drano off my list. And I get to be green. Thanks!
Confessions of an Apron Queen
It does work so well too! I try and do it once a week (which means I remember once a month) for maintenance. I always follow it with a pot of boiling water.
Now if only I can remember to do this in the morning as it's been well over a month. :-)
Love the hair...the funny thing is I have a picture with the same exact hair do! Lovely huh!!!!
This works for me too. I do a combination of baking soda and vinegar and then rinse it down with boiling water. Drano can be expensive too and this is pennies!
What a great tip...I am adding it to my book for when I need to clear a pipe next time!!!
I've been trying to be more ecofriendly with cleaners and such. Thank you so much for posting this tip!! :D
What a divine appointment, I need this tip so bad! Thank you!!!
I'm doing this when I get home! Thanks!!!
I think this works best if you do it regularly instead of waiting for a clog. The kids love to watch it. :)
You are right.. I just learned this tip a few months back and it works. My husband thought I was NUTS until he realized hahah how well it worked!!!
great recipe! we will never buy drano again. we also bought one of those things you put in the tub hole so the hair doesn't go down the drain at all (did you like that description? I can't for the life of me think of what they are called right now :o)
loooove the pic, btw
Hey, I remember that pic! Big hair was so fun! ;-)
You've GOTTA get a Zip-It drain cleaning tool! I've bought them in Walmart in the plumbing section and in my supermarket.
They say that they're disposable since they drag *disgusting* clots of hair out of the drain, but I just use a hunk of tp to pull off the nastiness. Seriously - I couldn't believe how well it worked! I wish they'd come up with something that would get the dog hair off the couch as easily :o)
http://www.zipitclean.com/
two comments - as a person with thin fine hair, I longed for the 'big hair' look, which couldn't even be accomplished with a perm! Now of course I am happy with a bob....
The zipit works wonderfully for hair clogs, and I just clean mine as well. I need a big dose of baking soda and vinegar for the "sludge" tho'.....thanks for hte reminder!!!
I share with you coming of age in the '80s and an abundance of hair. However, mine is poker straight-very in now, not so much then. My mom, like your dad, had her issues with my hair - I shed like a dog and it would get everywhere. I had to read this post as I wasn't sure there was a true green way to do this - I'm glad you told me how and that you've tried it yourself. Visting from WFMW.
Yes, that is an awesome drain cleaner! Another eco-friendly option is to stick the nozzle of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner (ShopVac type) in the drain; it's often able to pull out the clog.
Really great information. It really helped me. Thanks lot….
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