Stop drain blockages with these simple tips!

There are hardly any more tedious cleaning chores than cleaning drains. Usually, this procedure involves unpleasant odours, hair, and other things you'd rather avoid touching. Unfortunately, it can't be completely avoided.

Even if you currently have no drain-related problems at home, sooner or later you will face a drain that needs cleaning. Then it can be good to know how to proceed.

We have gathered some tips on how to clean drains in the washbasin, bathtub, shower, and kitchen sink in the best way. Follow along – before you finish reading the article, you'll have become an expert in cleaning drains!

Why do you even need to clean drains?

Every time you shower, wash the dishes, or wash your hands, hair, grease, and dirt go down the drain.

It's best to clean drains regularly throughout the home – about 1–2 times a year as preventive maintenance. In reality, it's a chore many hesitate to do and usually wait until it's no longer possible.

How do you know when it's time to clean the drain? For example, you may notice that water drains more and more slowly. The drain may also start to smell unpleasant.

Preferably, don't wait until there is a complete blockage in the drain. The sooner you address the problem, the easier it is to fix. Moreover, a serious blockage can become an expensive issue requiring professional help. By following the tips below, you save time, money, and energy.

Guide to cleaning drains throughout the home

The method of cleaning drains in different parts of the home varies slightly depending on what you need to clean. However, similar products are usually used in all types of drains.

To clear minor blockages, boiling water, grease-dissolving dish soap, and a sink plunger often go a long way. If a serious blockage has formed, stronger products may be needed, such as a drain unblocker like Mr Muscle which contains caustic soda. You can also try cleaning the trap.

1. Smart tips for cleaning drains in the washbasin

Does it take a long time for water to drain when you wash your hands? Then it’s definitely worth spending some time cleaning the drain in your washbasin.

A simple trick is to pour 1 dl of grease-dissolving dish soap into the washbasin and wait about 30 minutes. Boil water in a kettle and pour the entire jug into the washbasin.

Test if the blockage was cleared by running some water from the tap. If the water drains properly, the problem is solved. Unfortunately, simple tricks don't always suffice.

If it didn’t work to remove the blockage with hot water and dish soap, the next step to clean the washbasin drain is to use a sink plunger. It looks like a suction cup with a wooden handle.

Fill the washbasin about halfway so the plunger is covered with water and try to clear the blockage by pumping movements that create pressure in the drain system.

For tougher blockages, it can be a good idea to look closer at the trap under the washbasin. Unscrew the lower part and then clean the trap with an old toothbrush to remove any dirt that has collected there.

Screw the clean trap back on in the same way you unscrewed it. Then you can flush some water from the tap to see if the trick worked and the water finally drains properly.

In this practical video, expert Henrik from Proffsmagasinet shows how to clean the trap in the best way.

The last thing you can try before calling for professional help is to use a drain unblocker, such as Mr Muscle. If that doesn’t work either we recommend calling a plumber instead.

2. How to clean drains in the shower

Anyone who has experienced a blockage in the shower can probably agree that they don’t want to repeat that! It doesn’t feel very fresh to stand in the shower when dirty water lingers. This is usually caused by hair, skin flakes, soap residue, and other bits gathering in the drain.

If you’re lucky, it’s enough to clean the floor drain from dirt. You do this by loosening the floor drain cover with a screwdriver and then removing hair and other things that can block water drainage. A shortcut to cleaning shower drains, simply put.

Then try running water from the shower head. If the water drains properly, congratulations – the problem is fixed and you can shower worry-free again.

Sometimes it takes more to fix a blockage in the drain. Then a so-called drain snake can be your saviour! Just feed it into the drain until it reaches the blockage and gently move it up and down to try to clear the blockage. If the drain snake can’t help, it usually means the blockage is further down the system and requires expert help.

3. Simple ways to clean drains in the bathtub

After a long day, a relaxing bath might be just what you need to recharge. Something that can ruin the whole experience is when the dirty bath water drains slowly. This likely means there is a blockage somewhere in the drain.

Show your bathtub a little extra love. Unscrew the drain stopper to access hair and dirt that has collected there. Often, you don’t see it at first but when you grab some strands of hair, bigger and bigger clumps follow.

If you’re not in the habit of regularly cleaning the bathtub drain, there may be large amounts of hair and dirt to remove. Try to persevere – it’s the easiest way to clean the bathtub drain. With a bit of luck, this simple trick is all you need to make the water drain normally again.

A drain snake may be needed – see the procedure described above. Experts recommend picking up hair from the drain stopper after each bath to prevent it from going down the drain. That’s definitely the best way to ensure there will never be a blockage in the bathtub again.

Another somewhat different tip is to put a nylon stocking over the pipe leading down to the floor drain to prevent hair going into the drain. If this feels a little extreme for your taste, a smart bath stopper with hair catcher can also be a solution.

This is especially practical if you have one or more dogs at home who, for example, are washed in the bathtub after rainy walks.

4. Clean the kitchen sink drain

Another place often affected by blockages in the drain system is the kitchen sink. Perhaps not surprising given all the greasy food residues washed down the drain every day, but no less irritating. Grease solidifies inside the pipes and sticks to the pipe walls. Charming, right?

This can also cause food residues to stick to the grease deposits and cause blockages. This can be avoided by wiping off food residues with paper instead of rinsing dirty plates under the tap. But honestly – who has the energy to do that after every meal?

To clean the kitchen sink drain, you can follow the same tips we presented in the first section on cleaning washbasin drains.

Home remedies for easy and cheap drain cleaning

To clear minor blockages, it may be enough to use some miracle substances found in most homes – namely bicarbonate and vinegar. We'll teach you how to mix a miracle drain unblocker with bicarbonate and vinegar.

Boil water in the kettle and pour the entire jug into the washbasin. Then pour a generous amount of bicarbonate (baking powder works just as well) down the drain, preferably at least half a decilitre. Wait 5 minutes. Meanwhile, warm about 5 dl of vinegar and 5 dl of water.

Pour the warm vinegar mixture down the drain, then block the drain with a stopper and let it sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another kettle of water which you then pour into the drain to flush away all the loosened dirt.

By combining bicarbonate and vinegar, a chemical reaction occurs that causes bubbling in the drain, loosening the dirt. If it’s been a long time since you last cleaned the drain, it may be a good idea to let the bicarbonate and vinegar mixture work for several hours or even overnight before flushing with hot water.

This clever trick is also gentle on the pipes and can be used regularly to maintain the entire household’s drain system. With a bit of luck, you’ll avoid blockages altogether!

Need help cleaning your drains?

We’re happy to take care of it! Contact us to book deep cleaning in Stockholm and spend your time on something more enjoyable than cleaning drains!