Eliza Cross
Clear Clogs Without Toxins
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Next time your kitchen sink backs up, think twice before you reach for a bottle of chemical drain cleaner. Common ingredients include lye, hydrochloric acid and trichloroethane -- toxins that can corrode plumbing and linger in the water supply. Fortunately, there are safer alternatives to keep your pipes flowing freely.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2006 issue of Natural Home magazine.

Clog control

The simplest cure for major clogs? Prevention.

  • Use drain strainers and empty them regularly.

  • Avoid getting grease in kitchen drains and don't let hair accumulate in bathroom drains.

  • Flush drains weekly with boiling water to eliminate grease and soap buildup.

  • Maintain clear drains with monthly treatments of natural drain formulas that use either enzymes or bacteria to gobble up built-up residues.

    Slow sinks

  • Pour 1/4 cup baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup vinegar. Cover the drain tightly until the bubbling stops and flush with a gallon of boiling water.
  • For hair clogs, pour a cup of washing soda (sodium carbonate) into the drain, followed by a gallon of boiling water. 

    • Obstructions

  • Take the plunge. Try mechanically unclogging the drain with a plunger or plumber's snake.

  • Stubborn clogs may require a licensed plumber. Tree roots are a common source of backups; for those, you'll need a professional root removal service.

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