Friday is grocery store day. As usual, I asked my husband about any requests and he called down from upstairs, “Yea. Drano. Bathroom sink is clogged again!”
Oooo. Drano = chemicals. I can’t go there again!
So, I “Googled” before the trip and found a green remedy that I wanted to give a try. Drano wasn’t added to the list, but baking soda and white vinegar was.
That evening I gave it a go. A half cup of baking soda went in first, followed by a cup of hot vinegar. It turned out to be a great science experiment for the kids too! Our son came in, holding his nose and said “eeew! Watt dat ‘mell?!?!” (Turns out they sound pretty cute with a clamped nose and the hot vinegar isn’t high on their list of yummy smells!) Our daughter joined us as we poured in the vinegar.
It started bubbling and foaming and working its magic. Our kids responded with a collective “Keeeewl!” – noses still plugged! It was amazing… and gross. Brown slimy gick started rising to the top of the vinegar and I started cringing at the nastiness that had built up down there, but I was glad it was apparently working.
After the vinegar drained, we did it all over again…(more “Keeeewls!”). After that, I plunged the drain, ran some hot water, and lo and behold…clear drain! Victory!.. and NO CHEMICALS!
Turns out this is a great practice to just regularly clean and maintain the drain, to even prevent clogs. This was also a great learning experience for me. There are often green solutions for everyday problems and all it takes is a bit of legwork to help you find an alternative to try.
So next time your drain gets clogged, don’t Drano… just baking soda & vinegar-o!
Thanks for this remedy.
I need it for my kids bathroom sink. Today.
Will put on my “Mrs. Joe the Plumber” hat and get the job done. Right.
Kimberly – Great! Let me know how it goes! Good luck!… worked like a charm for me!
That sounds like a great remedy to your problem without being forced to use chemicals to get the job done. Thanks for doing your part to make the earth a greener place.
AC Doctor – Thanks! There are definitely better options out there and I definitely felt better using the green way!
That is great. I am going to try it this week on that awful tub drain. I hate to use chemicals with the cats around, you’re a life saver.
I love that you found out how to do the job without harsh chemicals. I wouldn’t have thought of that one. Thanks so much for sharing! I am a huge fan of baking soda and vinegar, but would never have known they could tackle a clogged sink. Kewwwwwwl!
OneGreenMommys last blog post..Paper, Paper, Paper
Fantastic! i will give it a try. such a super cool remedy for a clogged drain. who would have thought of that except you!
Nandithas last blog post..A peep into one of the best spiritual classics on the planet……
Matt – Happy Plumbing, dear friend! 🙂 Your kitty pals thank you also!
OneGreenMommy – yes, very Kewwwwl! Baking soda and vinegar is a great remedy for more than most realize.
Nanditha – well, thanks for the vote of confidence. It really is pretty amazing. May not work for the worst of drains, but it’s always worth the first attempt!
Pingback: » Nasty, nasty chemical cleaners: the top 10 criminals - Mom Goes Green
Pingback: » Mom Goes Green is ONE YEAR OLD! - Mom Goes Green
Pingback: » 10 more reasons vinegar should be on your grocery list. - Mom Goes Green