Most slow or smelly household drains can be cleaned with a plunger, a cleaned-out trap or a bit of hot water, as long as you know which method suits which drain. Here are seven ways to clean drains, from the simplest DIY fixes to what a professional does, with the cautions that matter.
1. Plunging: Quick Fix for Sinks, Showers and Toilets
A plunger pushes and pulls water to shift soft blockages such as food, hair and soap. Use a cup plunger for sinks and a flanged plunger for toilets.
Tip: block the overflow hole with a damp cloth so the pressure goes into the pipe, not out of the overflow.
2. Clean the Trap
The U-shaped trap under a sink or basin catches most of the debris. Put a bucket underneath, unscrew it by hand, clear it out, and refit it firmly. It is often quicker than any chemical.
3. Hot Water, Bicarbonate of Soda and Vinegar
For a slow kitchen sink, pour hot (not boiling) water down, then half a cup of bicarbonate of soda and a cup of white vinegar. Leave it 15 minutes and flush with more hot water. It helps with light soap and grease film, but will not shift wipes or a solid blockage.
Caution: boiling water can soften plastic waste pipes and crack a ceramic toilet. Never use it after a chemical cleaner.
4. Hand Auger (Drain Snake)
A flexible coil that you feed into the pipe and turn to grab or break up hair and debris. Ideal for bath and shower wastes.
5. Drain Rods for Outside Drains
For a blocked manhole or outside drain, a set of drain rods with a plunger head often does the job. Always turn the rods clockwise. Our step-by-step guide how to use drain rods explains how.
6. Chemical Cleaners: Use with Care
Chemical drain cleaners can dissolve hair and soap but rarely clear wipes or set fat. They can damage older pipes and are dangerous if the drain later has to be opened. Use them sparingly, follow the label, and never mix products.
7. Professional Drain Cleaning
When DIY has not worked, or a blockage keeps coming back, a professional can clear it with high-pressure water jetting, cut out roots and scale with electro-mechanical cleaning or descaling, and find the cause with a CCTV drain survey. Our prices start from £90 for manual clearance and £120 for jetting. Fixed price quoted upfront before we start, no hidden extras. No call-out fee.
Prevention: Keep Drains Clean in the First Place
Most blockages are caused by what goes down the drain. Water UK says 94% of blockages are caused by wet wipes, and Thames Water says fats, oils and grease cause 28% of the blockages on its network. So:
-
bin wipes, even “flushable” ones;
-
let cooking fat cool and scrape it into the bin;
-
use sink strainers and hair catchers;
-
run hot water down kitchen sinks after washing up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Should Household Drains Be Cleaned?
Most homes do not need routine professional cleaning. Clean traps and strainers as needed, and call us if a drain blocks more than once or twice a year, as that usually points to a defect.
Is Jetting Safe for Old Pipes?
Yes, when the pressure is matched to the pipe. On fragile clay or pitch fibre we check the pipe first with a camera.
What Is the Best Natural Drain Cleaner?
Hot water with bicarbonate of soda and vinegar helps with light build-up. Clearing the trap by hand is more effective.
Need a Drain Cleaned?
Call Drain 247 on 0208 387 5591. We cover Watford, Bushey, St Albans and North West London, 24 hours a day.
