You’ve probably experienced it before: the water in your sink or shower no longer drains properly. With a simple trick, you can unblock even the most stubborn blockages.
A blocked drain is usually a sign that hair and other dirt particles are stuck in the pipes and can no longer be removed. Even more dirt then builds up until the drain is completely blocked and no more water flows into the bathroom or kitchen.
To unblock the drain, you can find many products in drugstores or supermarkets. However, most unblockers contain aggressive chemicals which, in the long term, are not only bad for joints and pipes, but also costly and harmful to health and the environment. Instead, plumbers use a common washing-up liquid. It’s an economical alternative to the chemical drain openers on the household shelves.
Here’s how to do it:
- Pour half a bottle of ordinary washing-up liquid directly down the drain.
- Place the sink stopper in the drain, or adjust the stopper so that no water enters the drain for the time being.
- Fill the sink with hot water.
- Remove the plug so that all the hot water can flow down the drain. Caution: be careful with hot water and use a fork or other utensil to remove the plug safely.
- Important: Once you have emptied the water, the drain will not be immediately clear. Normally, it takes a few minutes before the blockage dissolves and the water can flow out.
Mong plumbers, the washing-up liquid method is a simple and widely used trick for quickly unblocking a drain. f you don’t see any improvement after several hours, you should always call a plumber. He’ll be able to advise and help you accordingly. o prevent blockages in the future, we recommend using a sink strainer. This will prevent hair and other residues from entering the drain.
