Gurgle. Gurgle. Pop!

You watch the bubbles slowly rise out of the drain in your clogged sink. Fixing a blocked drain was definitely not what you planned on doing today.

Before you get too frustrated, though, read this list! There are a number of easy DIY ways to clear a blocked drain. Here are some of the best ideas.

1. Baking Soda and Salt

Call on your inner chemist and whip up some DIY drain cleaner to clear out the clog. It’s easier than you think and super cheap!

Simply mix equal parts baking soda and salt together. Stir this mixture into four parts boiling water and dump it down the drain. You can let it fizz overnight then flush the drain with hot water in the morning.

2. Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda is your friend when it comes to clearing a blocked drain. Another great home remedy is to mix it with vinegar.

It’s likely you’ve seen those cool homemade volcanoes using baking soda and vinegar. Put that fizzing action to good use down in the drain. Like the first mixture, you can let it sit in the drain overnight and flush with hot water in the morning.

3. Boiling Water

A common cause of blockages in kitchen sinks is a buildup of grease or oil in the drainpipe. It was in liquid form when it went in, but has since cooled and caught other bits of debris to form a clog.

If you can heat the grease and make it liquid again, the clog will break apart and be flushed away.

It’s easy to do this by boiling a pot of water and pouring it down the sink. Take care to avoid splashing boiling water on your arms.

4. Liquid Soap

If the boiling water by itself wasn’t enough, try filling the drain with liquid dish soap first. Pour in a generous amount and chase it with boiling water.

The great thing about this method is it will leave your drain both clear and smelling fresh — important when the clog has been there a while.

5. Plunger

So far, we’ve talked about blockages that you can clear by pouring something the drain. Sometimes drains are so stopped up that the water stays sitting in the sink for hours.

Your first try in that case should be with a plunger. Put the suction end over the drain and vigorously pump the handle up and down for a few seconds to loosen the clog. Rinse with water.

If none of these tips does the trick, you can call a licenced plumber for help. The professionals have other tools and methods at their disposal to quickly clear your drain.

No More Blocked Drains!

Don’t despair when looking down your stopped-up drain. There are plenty of ways to clear a blocked drain. It’s just a matter of finding the right one.