Eco-friendly Drain Cleaning

When it comes to drain cleaning, there are some methods for accomplishing it that are more eco-friendly than others. Let's face it; most homeowners will have to clean out their drains at one time or another. Modern plumbing is a wonderful thing but it's not foolproof. In fact, because humans interact with the pipes and water pathways constantly, the margins for errors will be substantial. Some common mistakes that people make regarding their drains are as follows:

- Flushing the wrong things down the toilet: Due to naiveté, immaturity, ignorance or accidental drop-ins, many items get flushed down that shouldn't have.

- Naiveté: "I didn't know we couldn't flush diapers and paper towels down the toilet!"
- Immaturity: "I wonder what will happen if I flush my Barbie doll down. Maybe she'll feel like she's swimming. Oh, uh, here comes Mommy. I'd better hurry."
- Ignorance: "Now where am I going to dispose of all these mismatched socks? I know, I'll flush 'em."
- Accidental drop-ins: "Has anyone seen my dentures that I left on the bathroom sink next to the toilet?"
- Putting the wrong things down the garbage disposal or kitchen sink: Cooks who get caught up in the rush to prepare and clean up after a meal may become spacey and put inappropriate items in the garbage disposal and sink.
- Garbage disposal: "Those pork ribs were tasty. Now I'm going to grind up the leftover bones."
- Kitchen sink: "I think this oatmeal and bacon grease will wash down the drain with a bit of pushing."
- How to unclog the drains in an earth-friendly manner:
- Non-toxic chemicals: Some chemical drain cleaners are so strong that they can actually eat plastic pipes and blind a person. While this may or may not get rid of a clog, there are safer ways to take care of the problems.
Some safe products include:

Baking soda
Vinegar
Washing soda

- Tools: A homeowner should have several plumbing tools and pieces of equipment around the house to assist with the clearing process. Some good ones are:

Plunger: A plunger is also referred to as a plumber's friend because it truly is. This simple device only costs a few bucks and can get rid of multiple clogs with its suctioning action.

Snake: A hand crank snake will push many items through in order to restore water flow.

Electric auger: An electric auger is a powerful snake-like device that is up to forty feet long.

- Green plumber: When DIY methods fail, it's time to bring in a pro. Because today's plumbers are aware of the need to protect the environment, many of them have eco-friendly methods and non-toxic products to clear the clogs in your home.

Plumbing is never going to be foolproof as long as humans are interacting with it. We all make mistakes but repairing the problems with toxic chemicals is one more no-no for humankind. When clogs happen, using green drain cleaning tactics will be good for a homeowner's home and great for the planet.