Before the days of toxic chemical drain cleaners, our grandmothers would unclog the kitchen sink with a natural DIY liquid plumber solution. I found the recipe in an old housekeeping book, and was amazed that it worked!
This nontoxic formula is great for clearing small clogs and sluggish sink drains. Best of all, you might have the ingredients on hand in your kitchen cabinet.
Chemical drain cleaners are notoriously toxic, so I was grateful to find an alternative. I love making safe, inexpensive cleaning formulas for our home, like homemade dishwasher rinse aid, and citrus vinegar all-purpose cleaner.
My Experience with an Enzyme Drain Cleaner
I recently tried to unclog a slow bathroom drain with an enzyme-based natural drain cleaner sold to me by a plumber.
Although the formula was nontoxic and I could feel wonderfully guilt-free using it, unfortunately it didn’t have any effect at all on the slow sink. The product is pricey, too, so I was disappointed that it didn’t work.
Old Fashioned Homemade Drain Cleaner to the Rescue
The following day I tried a new tactic on the stubborn drain, one that you often see in old housekeeping books and “Hints from Heloise.” I poured baking soda down the drain, followed by plain white vinegar.
The mixture foamed up spectacularly for a couple of seconds and then settled down, at which point I covered the drain with a small saucepan lid. After letting it sit for 20 minutes, I removed the lid and poured boiling water down the drain.
Within the next 90 seconds there were some wonderful gurgling noises followed by a “whoosh!” and the drain was clear.
This method was natural and inexpensive, and it had the added thrill of feeling like a high school science experiment!
Here are the exact quantities and instructions for making your own homemade liquid plumber:
DIY Liquid Plumber Natural Drain Cleaner
Equipment
- Oven mitt
- Saucepan lid
Materials
- 1 gallon water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
Instructions
- In a large pan over high heat, bring the water to a boil; reserve and keep hot.
- Pour the baking soda down the sluggish drain. Carefully pour the vinegar down the drain, taking care as the mixture will foam up.
- Cover the drain with a saucepan lid and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Remove lid and carefully, slowly pour the boiling water down the drain.
- Replace the saucepan lid and allow to sit for 5 more minutes. Rinse with tepid water. You may repeat if needed.
Notes
You might also enjoy our recipe for homemade vinegar glass cleaner, which includes directions for the best way to clean windows without streaks.
May all your sinks flow freely and clearly!
This article was originally posted on January 8, 2007 and has since been updated with new images and information.
Eliza Cross is the creator of Happy Simple Living, where she shares ideas to help busy people simplify cooking, gardening, holidays, home, and money. She is also the award-winning author of 17 cookbooks, including Small Bites and 101 Things To Do With Bacon.
Granny Rocks! I am thrilled to read of this break through. I have a sink that perpetually slows down. In about the time it takes to rinse off a toohbrush, a small puddle forms in my sink (Lake Colgate). Although I am sure there is no tartar down the pipe (Tartar Control Colgate), still, it is bothersome. Tomorrow, off to the store with glee for the Arm and Hammer. I think I still have the vinegar left over from a son’s science experiment (the ol’e dependable paper mache volcano! Sorry the natural earth enzymes did not work. It was such a long product name. for that it should have worked. – Herb
I can vouch for this formula. We’ve used it many times on our bathroom sinks. Especially the one my husband uses to shave. It really works.
Awesome – thanks for the tip!!
Having bathtub clug problem; after spending so much $$$$ on chemicals to solve the problem, I decided to search the net to find some simple solution to fix the clug and came acrossed your home remedy technique…I’ll give it a try and pray that it will solve my problem. I’ll keep you posted.
THANKS!!!
Off to try this in my tub.
Its not draining as well as it should be.
I live in an old apt building in NYC, and we have to be gentle with our old pipes. I buy gallon jugs of white vinegar and pour a cup down the drains every few weeks just to keep things moving. The boiling water following the vinegar works wonders too!
FYI baking soda is a corrosive salt that is not good for your pipes. Plumbers recommend straight hot water, not boiling…
Thanks Granny!
This could work. Thanks for sharing.
We could all use these tips.
Thank you for this. I’ve used baking soda and vinegar on many things before, but never tried it for unclogging sinks. It worked like a charm.
Hey, thanks! I have drains that clog up on a regular basis. I tried this trick and within 30 mins, it was running thru again! Thank you!!!!!
Thank you for sharing this! I just want to add that home-based fixes might partially remove the clogs, but there’s a strong possibility that you could end up pushing the clog further down the pipeline or causing severe damage to your entire plumbing system. So, if clogs are frequent, it might be better to hire a plumber to unclog the drains. They have specific tools that help remove clogs without damaging the pipes.