8 Clogged Plumbing Drain Tips

Who hasn't experienced a clogged drain at least once? When the water starts pooling around the drain, you probably get that sinking feeling in your stomach. You may even be tempted to try fixing the clogged drain on your own before calling a Corona plumber to save some money. The good news is most clogged drains can be corrected on your own without calling a professional plumber.

Most homeowners can get a clogged drain cleared up in a few hours using one of these tips. If this doesn't work, though, you'll need to bring in a professional.

1. Before using powerful commercial chemicals to clear a clog, which may actually damage your plumbing, try this first: Pour 1/2 cup of salt down your drain and follow it with boiling water. Flush with hot tap water to see if the clog clears up.

2. Pour a cup of fruitless yogurt down your drain and let is sit for a few hours to see if it will break up the clog naturally.

3. If your drain is clogged from hair, Nair, or leg hair remover, may work. Try pouring a bottle down the drain and let it sit for 30 minutes, then pour hot water down your drain. It will break down the hair further down the pipe as it moves through.

4. Try putting dish soap like Dawn down the drain, followed by hot water.

5. If you have a slow running drain, try shaking half a box of baking soda into the drain, then one cup of vinegar. This combination will foam up a lot so cover it with a towel and, once the foaming stops, flush it with hot water for two or three minutes.

6. If possible, acccess the drain pipe and open it. Put a water hose through the drain and turn it on. It may just wash out the clog without chemicals.

7. You can clear up the plumbing in your home with a plungers, which can be used on your sink and bathtub as well. Keep plungers designed for tubs, sinks and toilets in the house for those occasional clogs. To use a plunger properly, use a lot of force to press it over the drain. Wait one minute and see if the clog cleared up.

8. If none of this works, invest $30 in a drain clearing snake, which you can buy at a hardware store. Snakes quickly clear up many clogged drains with no chemicals by grabbing into the clog and pulling it out.

If all else fails, it's time to call a professional plumber in Corona to fix the problem for you. The clog may just be worse than you think and a professional will get to the bottom of the problem.