Food, waste and everything else goes into your sink pipes on a daily basis when refilling a glass of water, cooking food, your kids mess, etc. This can cause the flow of liquid going down the pipe to slow down and create a problem for you over time.
In this article, we'll explain how to clean your sink pipes and the inside of pipes in general. (Showers, Baths, Sinks)
There are various methods to clean the pipe. One of the most generalized and efficient ways is to just buy the type of pipe cleaner you need. For example, you can purchase a liquid that unclogs your pipes or one that cleans them.
First Method: Boiling Water (Applicable to Showers, Baths and sinks.)
Probably one of the most accessible and simplistic options, boiling water multiple times might remove any immediate debris from the pipes and cause liquids to speed down a little more. It's not a concrete option like a de-clogging product, but a quick one.
Second Method: The baking soda method seems to be the most popular one on the internet. With a combination of vinegar, here are the steps.
You'll need:
-Soap
-Hot water
- Baking Soda
-Vinegar
Take some soap and add that into the drain with a bit of water. This will prepare the debris for removal.
Add baking soda and vinegar to the drain. Measurements are up to you depending on how clean you want the pipe.
Prepare Boiling Water
After 15 Minutes, add hot water into the pipes. It should purge the pipe of the baking soda and all debris inside of it.
Third Method: Manual Pipe Cleaning
There are so many reasons a pipe could be clogged. It may be as simple as trapped water from the point where the pipe rotates. The water and debris may have not successfully been able to escape and was trapped at that point.
Steps:
Disconnect the part where your pipe is about to rotate and make sure you have a bucket underneath it.
Water and debris should fall into the bucket and your problem should be solved.
Fourth Method: Plunger
This method only works if you have a sink with two drains. (With one drain it only makes the problem worse)
Using the plunger, plunge to the right side of the sink. This will create an effect where the left side will push out anything clogging inside it OR push it down the rotated part of the pipe (Like a toilet would.)
Method Five: A pipe snake (Drain Snake) [Not an actual nake]
There are a lot of dedicated products that are worth the investment when it comes to your home. One of those items is the drain snake. A drain snake can go into your drain and clean it out by forcing everything down the drain. This is an economical one as-well, since it keeps your water bill low and house maintenance costs low as-well.
Steps:
Insert the drain snake into the drain and push it all the way down.
Done!
Method Six: What NOT to use
There are many products the internet will warn you about that are dangerous. That includes Drano. Drano can cause your pipes to not only erode, but it can cause debris to bubble up and you'll then have a bigger problem.
Why is it so important to maintain pipes?
It's essential that you maintain your pipes so you can secure their longevity. Unmaintained pipes can cause them to erode and break overtime. This can cause flooding in your home, etc.
You should always run hot water after cooking or doing big activities in the kitchen.
Enjoy this article? Make sure to read our other articles on tips and tricks to clean your home, and even hire an affordable home cleaning service!