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Granny’s Homemade Liquid Plumber Alternative Rocks!

Before the days of toxic chemical drain cleaners, our grandmothers would unclog the kitchen sink with a natural DIY liquid plumber solution. I found the recipe in an old housekeeping book, and was amazed that it worked!

This nontoxic formula is great for clearing small clogs and sluggish sink drains. Best of all, you might have the ingredients on hand in your kitchen cabinet.

A grandmother wearing a blue oven mitt and holding a silver tea kettle.

Chemical drain cleaners are notoriously toxic, so I was grateful to find an alternative. I love making safe, inexpensive cleaning formulas for our home, like homemade dishwasher rinse aid, and citrus vinegar all-purpose cleaner.

My Experience with an Enzyme Drain Cleaner

I recently tried to unclog a slow bathroom drain with an enzyme-based natural drain cleaner sold to me by a plumber.

Although the formula was nontoxic and I could feel wonderfully guilt-free using it, unfortunately it didn’t have any effect at all on the slow sink. The product is pricey, too, so I was disappointed that it didn’t work.

Old Fashioned Homemade Drain Cleaner to the Rescue

The following day I tried a new tactic on the stubborn drain, one that you often see in old housekeeping books and “Hints from Heloise.” I poured baking soda down the drain, followed by plain white vinegar.

The mixture foamed up spectacularly for a couple of seconds and then settled down, at which point I covered the drain with a small saucepan lid. After letting it sit for 20 minutes, I removed the lid and poured boiling water down the drain.

Within the next 90 seconds there were some wonderful gurgling noises followed by a “whoosh!” and the drain was clear.

This method was natural and inexpensive, and it had the added thrill of feeling like a high school science experiment!

Here are the exact quantities and instructions for making your own homemade liquid plumber:

Pouring baking soda down a clogged sink with a spoon.

DIY Liquid Plumber Natural Drain Cleaner

Eliza Cross
Unclog a slow flowing or clogged sink with this homemade natural drain cleaner.
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Equipment

  • Oven mitt
  • Saucepan lid

Materials

  • 1 gallon water
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar

Instructions

  • In a large pan over high heat, bring the water to a boil; reserve and keep hot.
  • Pour the baking soda down the sluggish drain. Carefully pour the vinegar down the drain, taking care as the mixture will foam up.
  • Cover the drain with a saucepan lid and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Remove lid and carefully, slowly pour the boiling water down the drain.
  • Replace the saucepan lid and allow to sit for 5 more minutes. Rinse with tepid water. You may repeat if needed.

Notes

Disclaimer: Try this procedure at your own risk, and use caution. Do not lean over the drain while working on the clog. Stand back when adding the vinegar and be extremely careful when pouring the boiling water so it doesn’t splash and cause burns. Safety glasses are always a good idea. Don’t try this method on old, corroded pipes or damage could occur. 
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You might also enjoy our recipe for homemade vinegar glass cleaner, which includes directions for the best way to clean windows without streaks.

May all your sinks flow freely and clearly!

This article was originally posted on January 8, 2007 and has since been updated with new images and information.

A grandmother holding a teapot and oven mitt.

About Eliza Cross

Eliza Cross is the author of 17 books, including Small Bites and 101 Things To Do With Bacon. She shares ideas to simplify cooking, gardening, time and money. She is also the owner of Cross Media, Inc. and founder of the BENSA Bacon Lovers Society.

15 thoughts on “Granny’s Homemade Liquid Plumber Alternative Rocks!”

  1. Granny Rocks! I am thrilled to read of this break through. I have a sink that perpetually slows down. In about the time it takes to rinse off a toohbrush, a small puddle forms in my sink (Lake Colgate). Although I am sure there is no tartar down the pipe (Tartar Control Colgate), still, it is bothersome. Tomorrow, off to the store with glee for the Arm and Hammer. I think I still have the vinegar left over from a son’s science experiment (the ol’e dependable paper mache volcano! Sorry the natural earth enzymes did not work. It was such a long product name. for that it should have worked. – Herb

    Reply
  2. I can vouch for this formula. We’ve used it many times on our bathroom sinks. Especially the one my husband uses to shave. It really works.

    Reply
  3. Having bathtub clug problem; after spending so much $$$$ on chemicals to solve the problem, I decided to search the net to find some simple solution to fix the clug and came acrossed your home remedy technique…I’ll give it a try and pray that it will solve my problem. I’ll keep you posted.

    Reply
  4. I live in an old apt building in NYC, and we have to be gentle with our old pipes. I buy gallon jugs of white vinegar and pour a cup down the drains every few weeks just to keep things moving. The boiling water following the vinegar works wonders too!

    Reply
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  7. FYI baking soda is a corrosive salt that is not good for your pipes. Plumbers recommend straight hot water, not boiling…

    Reply
  8. Thank you for this. I’ve used baking soda and vinegar on many things before, but never tried it for unclogging sinks. It worked like a charm.

    Reply
  9. Hey, thanks! I have drains that clog up on a regular basis. I tried this trick and within 30 mins, it was running thru again! Thank you!!!!!

    Reply
  10. Thank you for sharing this! I just want to add that home-based fixes might partially remove the clogs, but there’s a strong possibility that you could end up pushing the clog further down the pipeline or causing severe damage to your entire plumbing system. So, if clogs are frequent, it might be better to hire a plumber to unclog the drains. They have specific tools that help remove clogs without damaging the pipes.

    Reply

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