Natural Drain Cleaning Recipes

Slow drains can be a pain!  Before you reach for the commercial drain clearing chemicals, try these natural solutions.  Note, natural cleaning, in general, is best used as a preventative, rather than a solution for severe problems.  Use these recipes every few months or at the first sign of a slow drain!

1. Baking Soda and Vinegar: (For extra power, start with about a tablespoon of concentrated dish soap, down the drain)  
   1/2 cup baking soda
   1 cup white vinegar
   Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain.  Adding a little at a time, follow this with one cup (8 oz) of distilled vinegar.  Let this work its magic for ten minutes and then follow with very hot water. 



2. Baking Soda, Salt and Cream of Tartar: 
   1/4 cup baking soda
   1/4 cup table salt
   1 tablespoon cream of tartar
   1 cup boiling water
   Mix 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup table salt and one tablespoon of cream of tartar.  Pour the dry mixture down the drain and follow with a cup of boiling water.  Let it sit for 20 minutes and then flush with cold water.

1. Heavy Duty Borax Drain Cleaner: (Look for borax in the detergent aisle of the grocery store)
1 cup borax
4 cups boiling water
Pour one cup of borax down the drain, followed by four cups of boiling water.  Let sit for 20 minutes and then flush with cold water.

You can also try a commercial enzyme cleaner.  These are natural and usually safe for septic systems.  And to help keep you drains clean, we suggest a mesh cover over your shower drains to catch hair.  There's also the magical "Drainwig," device, which you can buy here.  We've seen them in action and they do a great job catching hair.

Post your drain clearing tips in the comments!