How to Unclog Your Drain Naturally – 2 Ingredients

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Want to naturally unclog your drain or clean a slow-moving drain? Use this handy homemade drain cleaner recipe to clear up clogs fast. This mixture will not work on FOG (Fat, Oil or Grease)  clogs.

How to Unclog A Drain Without Chemicals

If you haven’t heard this from me already, I love to use simple and natural products around my home.

Baking soda is a kitchen staple that can work wonders on smelly and clogged drains. 

We use it to cook, clean, and deodorize. Chemicals are no longer the “in-thing”.

They hurt the environment, can be caustic to your health, and can actually cost more money. And often you realize you do not need chemicals to clean your house at all. 

Going Green has many benefits. Not only can they be cheaper, but they are better for your health.

If we allow a blockage to build up, it can lead to burst pipes and an expensive visit from a professional plumber.

We can’t have that at all. A simple and inexpensive solution can resolve a very expensive problem. Let’s get right down to the issue now.

In my house, my master bathroom sink seems to get clogged a lot (my fault actually). This is where I do my hair every day, right over the sink.

I actually sat down and started searching the internet for various ingredients that would unclog my stubborn, hair-infested sink.  

This recipe is a combination of others I found from my search on Pinterest. I have tried many recipes out there and I decided to do my own investigating and came up with this combo.  

I love it because it works like a charm. You can order your baking soda online and at a great price here.

Before, Trying on Your Own Sink

This mixture is not a fat degreaser (FOG clog) and will not work on sinks that have been clogged with grease. You will need a grease buster.

Why this will not work on a grease clog, — Baking soda is a base while vinegar is an acid, their chemical reaction produces water with a tiny amount of salt in it, not a fat-destroying drain cleaner.

Plus vinegar and baking soda are not surfactants. This basically means that they can not loosen up built-up grease and fat.

Have a difficult FOG (Fat, oil & grease) clog that boiling water doesn’t solve & this mixture will not take care of? Try an enzyme drain cleaner such as Earth Enzymes Drain Opener or Biokleen Drain Gel.

I also found this fun gadget that may do the trick (comes with high reviews) – I personally have not tried it myself. So I can not comment on its efficiency.

What you will need to unclog your drain

• 1/2 cup of baking soda
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 gallon boiling water

Baking Soda and Vinegar TOGETHER Produce Great Cleaning Results

Directions to unclog your drain

Carefully place the baking soda down the drain. I find it easiest to use a funnel. This way, I know all the baking soda is in the place where I want it.

Then pour half the vinegar down the drain, making sure that the top is fully covered. This will allow it to work on the drain and not allow it to rise out.

Let it sit until it settles, then add the rest of the vinegar. Let it sit for roughly 15 minutes. At this point, get your tea kettle out and start prepping for the last step. You will need boiling water.

After 15 minutes, flush the drain with the boiling water.

Bonus: the weight of the boiling water creates pressure on the clog, which can help loosen or move it (all thanks to gravity).

I have only used this recipe in my bathroom sinks. Luckily, I have not had to deal with a clogged shower drain, but I am sure it will work the same.

This same recipe works AWESOME (Minus the boiling water) as a 3rd-grade science project, VOLCANO!

Now that you have your sink back, it may also be time to freshen up your kitchen cabinets by removing all that extra grease from cooking.

I created this all-natural degreaser that is safe to use on cabinets and works like a charm.

Freshen up your garbage disposable

Now, using these same agents to unclog a bathroom sink, you can easily freshen up your garbage disposal as well.

Often times I use fresh citrus rinds, but if something really harsh smelling lands in my disposal, I need an extra boost to lift that smell. 

Clean up that disposable – quick steps

• First, start by running hot water through your garbage disposal side for about a minute. Then turn it off.
• Then pour about 1/4 cup baking soda into the drain.
• Flip the garbage disposal on for 2 seconds, just to whirl the baking soda inside, and then leave it alone for 10-15 minutes.
• Follow with 1 cup of vinegar. Watch the bubbles erupt out of your drain. (Yay!)
• Rinse through one last time with very hot water and run your garbage disposal for a few more seconds. Viola! The smells are gone!

If you have tried this method at home to unclog one of your drains (not caused by grease) we would love to know how it worked for you. Leave us a comment below. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What will dissolve hair in a drain?

This remedy will not dissolve hair, but you can try an enzyme drain cleaner such as Earth Enzymes Drain Opener or Biokleen Drain Gel.

Is it safe to use this method if I have a septic system?

Yes. It’s safe to use the ingredients if you have a septic system. The ingredients degrade rapidly and will not harm the bacteria in your tank. Plus, they are all-natural.

What should happen if my clog becomes worse after using this method?

This may happen when a partially dissolved clog gets lodged further down the pipe. We recommend trying it again a second time. However, if the problem continues to persist, you should call a plumber, as there are some plumbing situations this will not work on.

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