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Update: I tried the vinegar trick for a clogged shower drain and it actually worked
My shower was draining slow for about a week. I saw a tip online to pour a cup of baking soda down, then a cup of vinegar, wait 15 minutes, and flush with hot water. I thought it was just a dumb kitchen science project. Did it yesterday afternoon. Heard it fizzing like crazy. After the hot water, it drained perfectly. Anyone got other cheap fixes for bathroom stuff?
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jesse_nguyen1mo ago
Nice that it worked for you, but heads up, the vinegar and baking soda thing is mostly for minor gunk. If you have actual hair clogs, it just pushes them around. A cheap plastic drain snake from the hardware store is way better for that. It grabs the hair so you can pull it out. The fizzy mix is good for smells and a bit of soap scum though.
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piperr581mo ago
Has anyone considered what that baking soda and vinegar reaction might be doing to old pipes over time? Jesse_nguyen is right about the snake for hair, but I worry the fizzy method could speed up wear on older metal drains. That pressure has to go somewhere, and it might find a weak spot. For newer PVC it's probably fine, but it's something to keep in mind.
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abby1891mo ago
Actually the pressure from that reaction is pretty small, it's not like blasting the pipes. My house has old metal drains from the 50s and I've used the baking soda trick for years with no issues. The real problem is when people use chemical drain cleaners, those eat through metal. A little fizz just breaks up grease.
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