TreeHuggingLunatic.com

We all know that a good Tree Hugging Lunatic is going to choose Earth-friendly options whenever possible, right? Well, today I’m going to tell my little story about my lovely bathtub drain. (Hint: It didn’t used to be so lovely.)

Yes, I admit it. We had a slow drain. In the past, I might have been tempted to use those harsh drain chemicals to clear the clog, but not anymore! Like any good Tree Hugging Lunatic, I knew I needed to at least research my green options. Turns out there’s no need for that nasty stuff after all. Here’s the simple technique that worked for me.

STEP ONE: First of all, pull out the gunk that you can get to. I’m not telling you go rent a drain snake from your local hardware store; just take the cover off the drain and use some long needle nose pliers and/or a wire coat hanger to pull out the gunk that’s in reach. If you don’t know how to take the cover off, it’s worth it to learn. Some drain covers use a simple screw in system; others may require you remove the overflow plate. If you’re not sure, you may want to Google and/or ask for help with this step. I admit that I needed help learning how to remove our drain’s cover; but now that I know how to do it, it’s very easy! Also, I admit that I tried the remaining steps without removing the drain cover first, and I didn’t get the results I wanted, so don’t skip this step!

STEP TWO: Put some baking soda in the drain. I used about a half cup. You want a generous amount, but not so much that you have to pack it into the drain.

STEP THREE: Add about a half cup of vinegar to the drain next. It will start to bubble as the vinegar reacts to the baking soda.

STEP FOUR: Let the baking soda mixture set for about ten minutes while you boil a pot of water. Then slowly add the boiling water to the drain.

Once I followed all the steps in order, my drain worked perfectly! A tubful of water completely drained before I could finish drying off! Ah, happiness is a clean drain!

Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Palmatier