How to clear a clogged drain without chemicals
The drain in my bathroom sink has been draining more and more slowly for a while now. (I’m embarrassed to admit even to myself how long this has been building up.) In my bathroom sink, I realize it’s probably clogged with a lot of hair. I’ve used chemical drain cleaners before and I don’t think they work very well. They might make a small difference for a short period of time but they don’t actually “Clear” the drain. Can you imagine a chemical that was strong enough to dissolve hair? What environmental impact that would have being flushed down our drains? I’d rather not! I found a tool that lets me clean out a drain without the use of harsh chemicals!
It’s a disgusting job but you can use a hooked plastic wand thing-a-majig and clear it out. This one is called a Zip-it and costs $2.50 at your local hardware store.
It’s super easy to use — but you might want to put on a pair of gloves and maybe cover your nose and mouth with a bandana – old time western movie style.
- Pull out the drain plug
- push the Zip-it down into the drain
- pull it back out –the hooks grab onto whatever hair and crap have clogged the drain
- you might give it a couple goes to get ALL the gunk.
Did I say disgusting? It is SO gross, I almost threw up!
Seriously — D I S G U S T I N G!
But that sucker worked like a charm!
Have you ever used one? Did you throw up? uuuhhhhhhh (shudder and gagging again just thinking about it.)
Fhew! I had to come check to see if I typed $250 for that thingamajig instead of $2.50! Funny typo. LOL But yes, $2.50 IS a good investment. Won’t break your drain plug and is way cheaper than calling a plumber to do it. 🙂
OMG! I totally need one of these for my bath tub! I have long hair and it clogs up FAST. $250 sounds like a worthy investment and better than using needlenose pliers!
Ewwww! I always just used Drain-o but I guess this is the best method. Not pushing gunk down, actually pulling it out. It’s a gross job, but someone has to do it!
not everything we DO is pretty.
I am so glad someone decided to put something “gross” on their blog… not everything we is pretty.
My tub is draining slowly and by the time I finish my shower, I am ankle deep in water. So will be getting that $2.00 thingy at the dollar store and using the baking soda vinegar rinse to get rid of the soft gunk every week so I don’t have to deal with this again.