Drain Cleaning Water Bladder Medium: https://amzn.to/2SSP5um 1&1/2 to 3" drains
Small: https://amzn.to/2YTQNiP 1 to 2" drains
Large: https://amzn.to/2WmHFBP 4 to 6" drains
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When it’s time to really get tough with that clog in your drain and you don’t have a plumber’s snake, try a garden hose.

Many newer homes have an end cap on the outside wall of the kitchen and you can run your garden hose down there. If you have an older home you can still use this method you’ll just have to remove the strainer from the drain you are trying to unclog inside the house.

Either way, run your garden hose down the drain and then stuff it with wet rags to fill up the drain. Then have someone else turn on the water full blast and let it run for just a couple of seconds and then quickly turn the water off. Do this three or four times then remove the rags and hose to see if your clog has cleared.

If the hose trick doesn’t work you can try an adapter that you can get at your local hardware store or home center. A firm rubber adapter attaches to the end of your garden hose. As the water fills up the rubber part of the adapter expands to blast the clog away. Again pack down the drain and have someone turn on the water.

With a homemade plumbers snake you may actually save yourself the cost of a plumber coming out to your home.

It’s important to keep in mind that if after a few attempts you still can't get the clog loose, turn the job over to a professional plumber. If you exert too much force on your pipes you can ruin the system.

Here are some more tips we found for you when it comes to clearing your drain!

If you stock up on the right tools now, before the clog shows up, you will stand a better chance of sending it on its way before it gets too big.

In a previous Quick Tip we talked about using the plunger when the water stops flowing in the kitchen sink. Plungers can also be used on tubs and toilets as well. For clogs that are located deeper into the plumbing you can use a "snake", a long flexible steel cable that is wound on a spool with a hand crank. You can get these in various lengths but a 25-foot model should work well for most household clogs. There is also a "closet auger" which is like a snake but is built specifically for toilets. The closet auger has no spool but a rigid shaft bent at the correct angles to go through a toilet trap.


What if All the Drains Are Stopped?

If everything in the house backs up, your main drain going out of the house, or the drain between the house and the sewer (or septic tank) is possibly clogged. If you have a septic tank, you may have to call in the pros to clean it out. If it is the main drain in the house, there is usually a clean-out at the farthest end of the drain, a plug that lets you feed an auger in without going through any traps. You find this in the basement or crawlspace. You will probably need to rent a power auger for this project. Electric augers are big with a lot of cable. If auguring the maindrain in the house doesn't help, then auguring the drain from the house to the outside would be next. There is usually a clean-out just below the point where the main drain leaves the house. Remove the cap and start auguring again. When using a power auger you won't be cranking, so you won't feel resistance when you get to the clog. You will hear the motor start to slow, and that is when you need to reverse the motor and back out, going back and forth till you cut through the clog. This is a messy, smelly job, and you may want to call a licensed pro for this. If you have a septic tank, you can't tell if the drain is clogged or if you need the tank pumped out, but the smart bet is the tank will need cleaning first. If you have a drain going out to a municipal sewer, you may want to check with neighbors to see if anyone else is having trouble, it could be in the city's drains at the street.

REMEMBER: Use gloves and goggles to avoid contact with bacteria and chemical drain cleaners. Cleaners can be harsh to the skin and damage eyes. Don't use a chemical drain cleaner before trying mechanical methods first.

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