If you’ve ever dealt with a clogged drain, there’s a chance you’ve come across recommendations for clearing it with baking soda and vinegar before. This DIY method for removing a clog has been around for decades, and it’s had a recent resurgence in popularity thanks to online videos of drain cleaning “hacks.” Does this method actually work, or is it useless? Can it damage your drains even more? Our no-nonsense guide will clear up the misconceptions and tell you all about how this technique affects your pipes.
What Is the Baking Soda and Vinegar Method for Clearing a Clog?
When people talk about getting rid of a drain clog with baking soda and vinegar, a few different techniques come up. The one thing all of these methods have in common is that they include putting baking soda and vinegar down your drain. The most common suggestion is to put around a half cup of baking soda in a drain and then pour a cup or two of vinegar down the drain.
However, you might also come across recommendations to add the vinegar before the baking soda or mix the two ingredients together before placing them in the drain. Ultimately, all of these methods follow the same basic idea of making sure your drain clog encounters both baking soda and vinegar.
Does This Drain-Clearing Trick Really Work?
The final outcome of this drain-cleaning trick can vary quite a bit. Some people use it and find their drain is instantly clear. Other people give it a try and end up without any noticeable results. While there’s no denying baking soda and vinegar can technically work in some situations, it’s not the foolproof solution you’re probably looking for.
To understand why results are so varied, let’s take a quick look at some basic chemistry. Baking soda and vinegar have a strong reaction because one is very acidic and one is very basic. When you blend them together, carbon dioxide, water, and sodium acetate are produced. On a simpler level, this means that you essentially get around five to 10 minutes of fizzing bubbles, and once the bubbles pop, you’re left with nothing but some salt water and gas.
This chemical reaction can cause a variety of effects in a clogged drain because drain clogs are made up of so many ingredients. In some cases, where drain clogs are loosely packed clusters of debris, the bubbles made by baking soda and vinegar are quite useful. They can shake things up just enough to break the clog into smaller pieces and let it get flushed through your system. However, bubbles are a fairly weak drain-busting ingredient. They won’t be able to push through thickly tangled knots of hair, and they will not dissolve a grease-based clog. Since drain lines aren’t a closed system, the bubbles are more likely to back up into your sink or toilet instead of generating enough force to push a clog out of your pipes.
Ultimately, while baking soda and vinegar will work on some mild clogs made out of things like soap scum or a bit of old toilet paper, they’re unlikely to budge serious clogs made out of:
- Hair
- Flushable wipes
- Tree roots
- Large pieces of food
- Grease
- Bodily waste
How to Tell if You Need More Effective Drain Cleaning
After you use the baking soda and vinegar trick on your drains, you might see a lot of bubbles pouring out of your drain and notice that your drains are moving a little faster. This can certainly be encouraging. However, keep in mind that this is such a mild drain cleaner that it often doesn’t address the root cause of the issue. Though your clog might shift enough to let a little water down the drain, small clogs may still be lurking in your pipes.
It’s quite common for people to think their drains are clear until they try to flush solids down their drain and notice it backs up again. While a drain that is backing up is a clear sign of a clog, there are some more subtle signs to look out for. If your drain is partially clogged after using baking soda and vinegar, you might notice problems like foul smells, gurgling sounds, or slow moving drains. This can often indicate that you still have a clog you’ll need to address.
Better Methods for Unclogging a Drain
If you want to say goodbye to your drain clog for good, it can be worth trying more serious methods than baking soda and vinegar. For a major clog, you’ll most likely need to call a professional who can fully remove the debris blocking your drain line. Depending on the type of drain clog you have, your plumbing team might recommend one or more of the following options.
Professional Drain Cleaning Chemicals
Drain cleaning chemicals tend to get a bad reputation due to problematic, over-the-counter ones, but they still have a use in drain cleaning. Professional-grade chemicals can be a good way of dealing with softer clogs filled with organic matter. These drain cleaners usually work by physically dissolving the clog. While they’re very effective, it’s important to only let a trained professional use these chemicals. Since they’re so strong, they can damage your pipes when used on certain types of clogs or with certain types of pipe materials. For best results, plumbers typically use them alongside cameras that let them assess your drain system before use.
Drain Snaking
Also called drain augering, drain snaking is a tried-and-tested way of manually removing clogs. This method involves a plumber putting a long, flexible metal cord, called an auger or a snake, down your drain. It moves through the pipes until it hits the drain, and then your plumber can either push it through the clog to break up the clog or snare the clog and pull it back up out of your pipes. Since this method fully removes the bulk of the clog material, it’s a good way to permanently deal with clogs. While you can now rent augers from big box stores, using them incorrectly can damage your system, creating an even bigger problem requiring professional drain repair. Our experts know when to use them and how to approach clogs without damaging your drains and pipes.
Hydro-Jetting Machines
Hydro jetting is a very powerful way of getting rid of clogs. These machines push extremely high-pressure water through your pipes. The water pressure is strong enough to break apart even very intense clogs like tree root clogs. Another benefit of hydro jetting is that it cleans the entire pipe. As the water runs along the pipe to reach the clog, it pushes out small bits of debris that could otherwise lead to clogs in the future. Hydro jetting is ideal for homeowners who are tired of recurring clogs and want to know their drain lines will be cleared for quite a while.
Ready to get help with your finicky drains? Turn to Plumbtree Plumbing & Rooter of San Jose. Our team of highly trained professionals has plenty of experience cleaning drains that have serious clogs. We can easily identify the location of your clog and recommend effective ways of getting rid of the clog. With our 24/7 emergency plumbing services, we’re always available when you have a problem. To schedule your next service visit, contact Plumbtree Plumbing & Rooter today.
