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What are the best ways to tackle a blocked drain?

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25-10-2019

The drainage in your London property is probably the kind of thing you barely think about most of the time – indeed, right up to the moment you’re forced to think about it, due to a blockage.

Most of us know those classic signs of a drain having become blocked: the bath, sink, toilet or shower taking ages to drain or not draining at all, waste water actually coming back up into the bath or shower, and even sometimes a smell of sewage. 

The task of tackling a blocked drain can be made more complicated by the fact that it isn’t always obvious whether it is your property’s pipes, or the main sewer pipes that have been blocked. 

If it is the main sewer pipe where the blockage has occurred, your local water and sewage company will be responsible for resolving the problem. But if you’re sure that the blockage is actually in the drains between your property and the main sewers, it’ll be up to you to tackle it. 

So, what are some of the best methods for doing precisely that? 

Boiling water 

Yes, believe it or not, something as simple as boiling water might do the job! Just boil the kettle with as much water as it’ll hold, before gradually pouring it down the problem drain in several stages, leaving a few seconds between each pour. 

The idea is that the hot water will (hopefully) dissolve any obstructions it comes across. 

Baking soda and vinegar 

This is a both eco-friendly and powerful way to clear a drain, especially when a plunger is used as well. Simply mix a third of a cup of baking soda with a third of a cup of vinegar to create the solution you’ll need. 

When you mix the two ingredients, they should immediately start to fizz, so be sure to swiftly pour the resulting concoction directly down your sink. Then, flush it all through with hot water. 

Apply some elbow grease with that plunger 

We’ve mentioned it above, and with good reason: a plunger is a proven way of sucking up a drain blockage. If you don’t have one already, you should be able to pick one up from a local branch of Wilko – and you might only need to use it for a few minutes to unblock your drain. 

Or, of course, just call in the plumber 

While other means do exist of resolving a blocked drain – such as cleaning the pipe or using chemical cleaners – we can completely understand if you don’t feel very confident trying any of the various more advanced methods. In any case, you might not want to risk anything going further wrong. 

That’s why it can be such a great idea to instead get in touch with our skilled and experienced Surbiton plumbers here at PGS Plumbers. Indeed, when you call us on 0203 370 0066, we’ll be able to provide you with free advice and a quote so that your mind can be put at rest. 

Then, once it’s all fixed, you’ll be able to get straight back on with using your home’s drain for the purpose for which it was intended! 

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