When it comes to keeping your home clean and organised, there are a thousand and one tasks to do. This is why, when one thing goes wrong, we need a quick and easy solution to fix it.

And while you can use plenty of tricks to unblock your drains, some of these might end up doing more harm than good, especially if you’re not equipped with in-depth knowledge of plumbing and chemicals.

One cleaner from Melbourne recently took to social media to warn people about one particular DIY ‘miracle cleaner’ that she doesn’t recommend – and offered advice on how to unblock your drain the safe way.

It’s always pleasant to see sparkling sinks and tidy kitchens, which is why it’s understandable that people want to clean their sinks in the most efficient way possible.

A Melbourne-based cleaner, Kacie, who runs The Big Clean Co, often shares useful hints and tips to keep our homes spick and span. However, she recently warned people not to use a combination of vinegar and bicarbonate soda to unblock their drains.

In the latest clip she uploaded to TikTok, Kacie revealed why using this combination is ‘reckless’ and creates ‘more of a blockage’ in your sink.

Kacie shared why you should never use vinegar or bicarb soda to unblock your drains. Credit: Pixabay/Pexels

Kacie also said that if your drains are blocked regularly, there may be a larger issue that needs to be looked at by a professional.

‘Hear me out. Everyone I know who uses this old wives' tale uses it regularly. If you're using vinegar and bicarb soda because you think it'll break down any grease or oil in the drain, it won't,’ she claimed.

She added: ‘There are no surfactants in this formula, which means you're just creating salty water when you mix these two.’

Kacie explained that pouring hot water and detergent down the drain would be a better solution to ‘get the oil moving’.

According to the cleaning expert, people who use the bicarb soda and vinegar technique think that it will cause a chemical reaction that can ‘move’ the blockage.

However, this could only happen if ‘you were able to close the drain, allowing this to exist inside a closed space so the pressure can build’.

‘You can't do this with your drain, and so you're getting this half-a***ed reaction that means what's most likely happening is part of the bicarb sitting in the drain - causing even more of a blockage,’ she explained.

If your drain gets blocked easily or repeatedly, Kacie offered two solutions. One is to either unscrew your pipes to clean them out yourself or call a plumber to get it checked and have it professionally cleaned.

Thousands who saw the video praised Kacie for the advice and thanked her for sharing it.

‘Thank you for sharing this! So many people using bicarb and vinegar together, not realising it does nothing,’ one wrote.

Another agreed and shared that when they previously tried the solution, it did nothing. ‘Much better off, as you said, looking at what the problem is and then working on a solution, which is usually a plumber…costs a lot less before you get a big problem,’ they added.

Others shared their own solutions, including pouring an entire kettle of boiling water down the drain in order to unblock it, using a plunger or trying a mix of dishwashing liquid and boiling water.

You can watch Kacie’s video below:

​

We’ve written numerous DIY tips and tricks when it comes to cleaning, however, researching the legitimacy or effectiveness of cleaning tips is our priority.

This is because blending cleaning solutions without proper research can cause serious consequences, just like what one woman found out while she was cleaning her kitchen. You can read more about this story here.

Key Takeaways

• A cleaner named Kacie from Melbourne warns against using vinegar and bicarb soda to unblock drains, as it causes more blockages.
• Kacie suggests using hot water and detergent to clear drain blockages effectively.
• In cases of repeated drain blockages, Kacie recommends either unscrewing the pipes to clean them or calling a plumber for professional cleaning.
• Many viewers agreed with Kacie's advice and shared their own solutions, such as using boiling water and dishwashing liquid.

Members, have you ever had a blocked drain before? How did you fix it? Also, if you have any cleaning tips or tricks of your own, please share them in the comments below!

 

[Rosalie30]

Married to an ex Master Plumber. Will stick to bicarbonate, vinegar and dishwashing liquid thanks. Never had one issue in over 50 years.

 

[Esma Rose]

Boiling water and soap suds always the winner for me. VERY rare because I quickly learnt to keep fats away from the sink. Wait until fat s are cold & wrap them in newspaper.

 

[Jest]

When it comes to keeping your home clean and organised, there are a thousand and one tasks to do. This is why, when one thing goes wrong, we need a quick and easy solution to fix it.

And while you can use plenty of tricks to unblock your drains, some of these might end up doing more harm than good, especially if you’re not equipped with in-depth knowledge of plumbing and chemicals.

One cleaner from Melbourne recently took to social media to warn people about one particular DIY ‘miracle cleaner’ that she doesn’t recommend – and offered advice on how to unblock your drain the safe way.

It’s always pleasant to see sparkling sinks and tidy kitchens, which is why it’s understandable that people want to clean their sinks in the most efficient way possible.

A Melbourne-based cleaner, Kacie, who runs The Big Clean Co, often shares useful hints and tips to keep our homes spick and span. However, she recently warned people not to use a combination of vinegar and bicarbonate soda to unblock their drains.

In the latest clip she uploaded to TikTok, Kacie revealed why using this combination is ‘reckless’ and creates ‘more of a blockage’ in your sink.

View attachment 17034

Kacie shared why you should never use vinegar or bicarb soda to unblock your drains. Credit: Pixabay/Pexels

Kacie also said that if your drains are blocked regularly, there may be a larger issue that needs to be looked at by a professional.

‘Hear me out. Everyone I know who uses this old wives' tale uses it regularly. If you're using vinegar and bicarb soda because you think it'll break down any grease or oil in the drain, it won't,’ she claimed.

She added: ‘There are no surfactants in this formula, which means you're just creating salty water when you mix these two.’

Kacie explained that pouring hot water and detergent down the drain would be a better solution to ‘get the oil moving’.

According to the cleaning expert, people who use the bicarb soda and vinegar technique think that it will cause a chemical reaction that can ‘move’ the blockage.

However, this could only happen if ‘you were able to close the drain, allowing this to exist inside a closed space so the pressure can build’.

‘You can't do this with your drain, and so you're getting this half-a***ed reaction that means what's most likely happening is part of the bicarb sitting in the drain - causing even more of a blockage,’ she explained.

If your drain gets blocked easily or repeatedly, Kacie offered two solutions. One is to either unscrew your pipes to clean them out yourself or call a plumber to get it checked and have it professionally cleaned.

Thousands who saw the video praised Kacie for the advice and thanked her for sharing it.

‘Thank you for sharing this! So many people using bicarb and vinegar together, not realising it does nothing,’ one wrote.

Another agreed and shared that when they previously tried the solution, it did nothing. ‘Much better off, as you said, looking at what the problem is and then working on a solution, which is usually a plumber…costs a lot less before you get a big problem,’ they added.

Others shared their own solutions, including pouring an entire kettle of boiling water down the drain in order to unblock it, using a plunger or trying a mix of dishwashing liquid and boiling water.

You can watch Kacie’s video below:

​

We’ve written numerous DIY tips and tricks when it comes to cleaning, however, researching the legitimacy or effectiveness of cleaning tips is our priority.

This is because blending cleaning solutions without proper research can cause serious consequences, just like what one woman found out while she was cleaning her kitchen. You can read more about this story here.

Key Takeaways

• A cleaner named Kacie from Melbourne warns against using vinegar and bicarb soda to unblock drains, as it causes more blockages.
• Kacie suggests using hot water and detergent to clear drain blockages effectively.
• In cases of repeated drain blockages, Kacie recommends either unscrewing the pipes to clean them or calling a plumber for professional cleaning.
• Many viewers agreed with Kacie's advice and shared their own solutions, such as using boiling water and dishwashing liquid.

Members, have you ever had a blocked drain before? How did you fix it? Also, if you have any cleaning tips or tricks of your own, please share them in the comments below!

ours are always cleaned from the pipes, then you know it is cleaned.

 

[Catherines]

Let fat get cold, scrape/wipe out as much as possible with kitchen towels then wash in water as hot as possible. If necessary, as said above, pour boiling water (as much as needed) down the drain. We frequently remove all piping under the sink and clean out, more for any visible grime or smell. Never had a drain blockage in 31 years in this house. We also have strainers over both sink outlets which catch any food scraps, so nothing undue goes down the drains.