Home Remedies - Albuquerque,NM

Hi D.,

A plumber once recommended Bio Clean once a month for our toilets. I couldn't find it in stores, but finally got around to ordering it online. I haven't used it yet, so I can't make an official recommendation, but here's the website I ordered it from with the product info. Good luck!

http://www.masterplumber.net/bio-clean.htm#about

Oh, and I use baking soda and vinegar as well and it kinda works, but this stuff sounds much better and it's still a natural product.

I put a cup of salt and 1 cup of Baking soda in the drain and then pour white vinegar from the jug right onto the top of it all maybe about 1 cup or more, it will foam up and eat whatever is in the drain then I follow with boiling water after everything stops foaming. You may have to do this a couple times, then use it regularly to keep the drains open. You won't have to use as much if you do it often. V.

if you are having both toilet and sink clog up at same time.it is more than likely your main sewer line has problems.The sink drain is 1 1/2" and toilet is 4" if they are plumbed to code they should not attach, but individually tie into main.The problem most likely is at main.Call in a plumber or roto rooter.

I have my own "snake" that really helps with these old small piping in my area that as well as roots going through them. I am in an a apartment complex so it is their thing to fix. All of us had to put rock salt down are drains about 1 or 2 cups to help with the problem. Using the "hairstopper" can change your life. LOL ~ HTHIA =D

My sister in Law puts liquid yeast down her drains to keep them flowing. The problem is that we put so many bleaches and cleaners down the drain that the good bacteria that keeps them flowing gets destroyed and they gunk up. You might want to give it a try. Now my husband and I never have any problems with our plumbing because we put in a really good water softening system in so if you are interested look into the Hague System. Your plumbing will be happier and your hair and skin will be too.

White vinegar and baking soda. I'm not sure of the amounts. I just shake a good amount of the baking soda in the drain. Then slowly poor the vinegar down. It will bubble up and fizz. Let it sit then flush with hot water. This will also deodorize the drain. I would use this on the sink I'm not sure about the toilet.

My guess is you have a clog further down the line, like roots that have grown into your drain/sewer line. I'd get your husband to dig out the line and check it out. ;)

I would try to figure out what is clogging the drains first. I have two three year olds and if my drain is clogged it is usually something they threw in there, lots of time it is wads of tissue that they were playing in the water with, and because it is wet little balls of it, it sinks all the way to the bottom.

I have had many toilets get clogged all the time because of mineral build up from hard water. After a while the toilets just needs to be replaced. Toilets are inexpensive and easy for anyone to install. If you have hard water, you may want to consider this. Or get a plumbers advice, but if you need a new toilet, you can do it yourself. As for the sink, try turning off the water and taking the pipes apart if tyou are comfortable with that and you have a pipe wrench.

Hi D.,

Do you have a tree in the area outside your home where
the sewer pipe runs? It could be roots in the system if both the sink and toilet are clogging. We used a product that poisons the roots and causes them to retract. I don't remember the name but we purchased it at Home Depot. They'll know what you are talking about. All roots seek water and will get into pipes and even swimming pools. You can call a plummer and they use a sewer rat with a camera on the end. That's how they discovered roots in our system. Good luck.

Go Green - Live Green - Save Green
www.GreenKidzRUs.com

Hi D. -

Before you go to bed, pour a box of baking soda down the sink and then add a cup of vinegar. As far as the toilet goes, you can get a "snake" and run it through the lines yourself. They aren't expensive and you can get them at Home Depot or Lowe's.

Good Luck!

is there a tree in your area that could be interfering with the drain out to the street? If it's both the sink and the toilet you may have drainage issues that go beyond over the counter remedies. I believe you can rent a snake- the long thing that goes down the drain and can work thru a clog or tree root issue. Beyond that I'd say a plumber.

I got this from Bottom Line magazine that I subscribe to. It was a tip suggested by Joan & L. Wilen who are folk remedy experts.

Pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, and follow immediately with 1 cup of table salt, then one-half cup of distilled white vinegar. Set a timer for 15 minutes. While the ingredients make their way thru the clog, boil 2 quarts of tap water. When the timer goes off, slowly pour the boiling water down the drain. Then let hot tap water run for 1 minute. If the drain is still clogged, repeat the procedure.

Hope this helps, L. Goltz, Sierra Vista, AZ