Whenever we think of cleaning stains or stubborn and clogged dirt all by ourselves through DIYs, the first ingredient that comes to our mind is baking soda.
We mix vinegar, salt, and plain water and what not to create a natural cleaner. And they work, no doubt there.
However, sometimes they don’t work as they should actually. For cleaning mild stuff, baking soda is very potent. Or if the atmosphere is under control and favorable, these might work on the stickiest of material. The moment the stain becomes a bit too stubborn and sticky, or the clogged drain turns a bit over rammed with dirt, no amount of baking soda can bring the solution to the issue.
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Why Skipping Baking Soda
More importantly, many of the experts ask not to use baking soda to clean stuff. They say it doesn’t work and rather damages the coating of the nonstick pans. In the case of cleaning a household drain, they are stricter.
As the household drain is not congested, the pressure that the chemistry in baking soda would have created doesn’t work the way it works in a sealed container or airtight box. So, do not get surprised if your DIYs using baking soda don’t work as well as you thought it should have. Every pan of the household drain is different, so it might work for your friend but not for you.
So, to keep it safe and effective, we are going to share with you some alternatives. In our choices, we have skipped baking soda altogether. These alternatives might also be helpful for you if you do not have baking soda at your house and, in immediate terms, need a thorough cleaning of the household drain. You have the age-old tools, and you can also create homemade cleaners with simple ingredients. Even these are DIYs but minus the baking soda. So, let’s have a look at the homemade drain cleaner without baking soda right beneath.
However, first, let us talk about the most common tools for cleaning and unclogging a household drain. The first one is the very basic plunger; the second one is a plumbing snake or pipe auger, and last but not least, the very effective alternative to a plumbing snake, a coat hanger.
Tools To Clean The Household Drain
We all have heard about and perhaps are an expert in using a plunger(View on Amazon). It has to be the most used unclogging tool for regular people in the household. You need to put the rubber cup in the drain and move the handle. The air trapped in the rubber will start suctioning and create pressure in the pipe. Thus, unclogging the drain ultra clean.
Then you have the plumbing snake. Similar to a drill machine, it has a long, flexible cord that breaks the clogged dirt into particles and ensures a clean household drain. You can use a coat hanger to unclog the drain too. This one is going to work similarly to the plumbing snake. You can name the coat hanger as a homemade plumbing snake as we are focusing on homemade stuff here.
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Homemade Drain Cleaner Without Baking Soda
Now, let’s come to the point, homemade drain cleaner solution. Boiled water in itself can be a great drain cleaner, but that is not what homemade implies. So, as alternatives, we are going to tell you about the different ingredients that work well with hot water.
Hot Water With Dish Soap
The only two things you need to make this effective drain cleaner is dish soap(View on Amazon) and hot water. Take a bowl full of water and boil it. Add a good amount of dish soap in the boiled water and let it boil some more. And your homemade drain cleaner is ready. Now, you will just need to pour it in the clogged kitchen sink or the shower drain. You can use this cleaner in a clogged toilet too. All in all, this one is the most basic drain cleaner that regular people use if there is no baking soda or plunger available in the house.
Salt And Boiled Water
This is not a cleaner per se. With that, we mean there is nothing to mix. You need to pour both the ingredients separately one by one. The moment you feel something is wrong in the drain, boil a dish of water. Then pour half a cup of salt right down in the clogged drain. Wait a moment and pour the hot water down there. Do not pour all the water, instead keep a good quantity to pour down in the drain later. Wait for a couple of minutes and pour the rest of the hot water to clean the residue. If you are cleaning a clogged toilet, then just use the hot water flush. You are going to get an unclogged drain.
Hot Water, Borax, Vinegar, And Salt
Hot water is everywhere we see. The next cleaner we are going to talk about has a couple of ingredients. The most distinct is Borax(View on Amazon). In technical terms, it is called sodium tetraborate or sodium borate. Though distinct and not a regular ingredient, many have it in their home as a cleaning product. It is a white powder of mineral which is great on clearing stains and mildew. When it works on the stubborn stain, you know it is going to be a great unclogging product.
So, what you need is the same portion of salt and Borax. The quantity of vinegar has to be double the quantity of salt and Borax. Pour the salt, Borax, and vinegar in the clogged drain one by one. Add a pot of boiled water and let the mixture set down there. When you have waited enough, pour hot water to clean the mix or flush hot water.
How to unclog a shower drain without baking soda?
Baking Soda and vinegar are the best for unclogging a shower drain naturally. However, the can of soda may be empty when you need it. For them, try boiling water. After you warm up a saucepan of water, pour it directly on the drain. Now back it up by pouring more water at a time to keep it warm. You should feel the clog clearing up.
The other way is to use a strong wire to the clogged area. Take a long wire and put it into the sink. Go as deep as you need until there is resistance. Now push and pull until the water goes through the sink.
As we can already see, there are ample ways to unclog a drain without baking soda. Keep in mind, if the problem is crucial, no DIY is going to work. No hot water or baking soda will provide a solution to an unclogged drain. So, first, know what the actual problem is. If your DIYs are not working, then just call a plumber. Do not try to use products that should be used by professionals. It might make things difficult, even for the Pros to solve.