If you regularly find yourself stuck waiting for your sink to drain, one home expert has a proven unclogging hack you can do with items that are already in your pantry.
The scoop
Home maintenance pro Kyshawn (@weeklyhomecheck) posted a video using a common duo when it comes to natural cleaning — baking soda and vinegar.
@weeklyhomecheck Week 42: Flush Your Drains with Baking Soda & Vinegar Keep your drains flowing smoothly with this quick, eco-friendly tip! - Pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain. - Follow it with white vinegar and immediately cover with a wet towel. - Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to break down grime and build-up. - Flush it all out with boiling water. Do this once a month to prevent clogs and odors! 🏠Follow for more home maintenance tips 📩 Sign up to my weekly home maintenance reminders delivered to your inbox!
♬ original sound - 🏠 Weekly Home Check
"Over time, food, grease, and hair end up in our drains," he said. "To prevent all this from causing a clog, you should flush your drains every two to three months."
He demonstrated the simple technique, pouring half a cup of baking soda down the drain and following it up with an equal amount of white vinegar. But the key, he explained, was to quickly cover the solution with a wet towel or rag in order to contain the chemical reaction and allow the gas to bubble through the pipes.
After letting the mixture sit to break down the grime, he said, simply rinse it down with hot or boiling water.
"And remember, the most important part is to cover the drain to trap the bubbles and gas," he emphasized. "This will push through any gunk and debris trapped in the pipes."
How it's working
This approach costs virtually nothing — baking soda and vinegar are both extremely cheap, and most people have them in their pantry already — and doing it regularly can prevent much costlier repairs from becoming necessary. (For context, unclogging a blocked drain can run a bill of anywhere from $100 to $500, according to HomeGuide.)
Another added perk of this tip is that it avoids toxic chemicals, which is not only cheaper but also healthier for you, your home, and the surrounding environment.
Given the presence of toxins in many cleaning products, more people have been migrating to more environmentally-friendly products for this reason, including baking soda, vinegar, and lemon.
What people are saying
"This is very helpful," one person commented. Another enthused, "I've never heard of covering! I'm trying this tonight!"
One person shared how learning simple, approachable tips like this made them a more confident homeowner.
"I just bought my first house and your videos make me feel like I will be okay and am capable of maintaining my house," they wrote. "There is so much to learn, thank you!!"
And some had already tried it with great success. "Just did this and it's been super helpful!" one person said. "Thank you!"
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