Baking Soda and Vinegar as Effective Drain Cleaners?

Vinegar and baking soda are two pantry staples that are easy to find around the house.

These are both useful cooking ingredients, but they are also known as helpful remedies for various ailments.

Baking soda, a white powder often used in baking and cooking, is an effective cure for sore throats, heartburn, itchy skin, and canker sores. It can also be used to clean kitchen surfaces, bathrooms, and appliances and act as a deodorizer when removing stubborn stains.

Vinegar, meanwhile, is an essential kitchen ingredient required when preparing nearly all types of food recipes. Vinegar’s acidity makes it effective against insects as well as weeds and is also considered when cleaning various kitchen appliances.

Mixing these two substances is a smart idea as they work well together. Actually, there are many DIY drain cleaner recipes online that feature vinegar and baking soda mixtures as the primary ingredients. That’s because baking soda can absorb odors and scrubs while vinegar can make grease shine and consequently overpower it.

Vinegar and Baking Soda Mix

Baking soda is the base product and vinegar is the acid in the typical vinegar and baking soda reaction formula. When combined, the two can produce sodium acetate and carbonic acid. The latter is usually unstable and will thus decompose to form carbon dioxide and water but not before it produces bubbles that will find their way to the surface.

The mixture has been found to be quite effective when it comes to cleaning drains and dislodging any soft blockage It has also been found to be good at eliminating mildew that has grown in unwashed clothing.

Preparing the Mixture

Is it possible for baking soda to be mixed with vinegar? The short answer is: that it depends on how the two ingredients are arranged. To clarify, though, the cleaning power of the resulting compound isn’t as strong as many would want to think.

The common recipe for a vinegar-baking soda mix goes as follows: combine ½ cup of baking soda with a ½ cup of salt in a container and add 1 cup of heated vinegar. Pour this concoction down into your clogged drain and wait for 15 minutes.

Grease-Filled Drains

If grease is the cause of the clogging, let the vinegar-baking soda mix sit so it can remove the blockage thoroughly. After 15 minutes, rinse the drain with water and observe if any grease is left.

The chemical reaction that creates the carbonic acid in the mixture should continue as long as bubbles are still forming. Once these bubbles disappear, it means that the acid element has evaporated, rendering the mixture ineffective.

While baking soda and vinegar can be used to remove light grease buildup, they won’t really work against solid materials that have blocked your drain. For this reason, the solution cannot replace a plumber’s work when it comes to unclogging the drain system.

Why Hire A Professional Plumber

DIY plumbing is popular because it saves time and money. However, doing DIY plumbing repairs without the proper know-how can often lead to more problems until the situation gets out of control. Choosing professional plumbing services for your home is always the best decision.

Here are the reasons you should hire a professional plumber:

1. Plumbers give a proper diagnosis

Professional plumbers are equipped with the knowledge, experience, and the right tools to diagnose and fix any problems in your plumbing system. Most plumbing issues can’t be seen unless there is a leak involved. You’ll likely see the after-effects of the problem – gurgling toilets and slow-draining sinks.

Plumbers can quickly identify the problem and take corrective action. Aside from the quick diagnosis, a professional plumber can also give you an estimate on the duration of the repairs which will usually depend on the severity of the damage.

2. Plumbers know effective methods to fix your plumbing system

Plumbing experts have many years of experience and underwent various training. They know how to solve plumbing problems and prevent future ones effectively. From simple clogged drains to complex main sewer issues, a professional plumber can easily locate the root cause of the problem and efficiently fix it.

3. Plumbers can ensure your safety

If you attempt to fix your plumbing problem all by yourself, you could be putting yourself and your family in danger. Allowing plumbers to do their job ensures your safety because they have a commitment that they need to honor.

DIY plumbing could be good for addressing simple plumbing issues. However, if you are not skilled enough with the ins and outs of your plumbing system, a DIY option should not be considered. It’s much better to hire a skilled plumber.

Key Takeaway

Vinegar and baking soda are powerful cooking ingredients that, when combined together, can be useful cleaning solutions. However, despite being a strong mixture, the vinegar and baking soda approach is not effective enough to resolve clogging problems, especially in the kitchen sink where solid material blockages are often involved.

Meanwhile, the safest bet is to call a professional plumber when it comes to plumbing systems and problems in the drainage line. There are highly-skilled people in Denver plumbing who can easily fix any leak, clog, or sewage backup and with time to spare.