If you have plumbing in your home, at some point of your life there, you have probably had to deal with problems with it. One of the most common problems people experience with their plumbing is a clogged drain.

Drain clogs are inconvenient, frustrating, and often smelly. Thankfully, you can clear out many of them without calling in a plumber. While you’ll want a professional for any drain cleaning repairs, there are a variety of ways you can get any drain unclogged at home without having to pay anyone else. Different household chemicals can be used as an at-home drain de-clogger to loosen up the matter stuck in the drain. These at-home remedies are cheap, easy, and get the job done quickly.

Of course, if you are unsure of what you are doing, there is always the option of bringing in someone else to get any drain cleared. However, if you want to be more independent and able to care for your home yourself, it is worth learning about all of your options. At-home de-clog drain processes are great for smaller clogs or blockages that are closer to the drain opening. Here are some options to consider.

1. Try some boiling water. Get as much boiling water as you can and pour it steadily and slowly down the drain. You can either microwave the water or heat it on the stove. Pour some water, let it sit. Pour some more water and let it sit. Repeat the process until your drain runs clear. Pause for about three seconds between each pouring to give it some time to work. This is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to deal with a clogged drain and should be the first method you try.
2. Try a vinegar and soda water solution. You will have to pour this down your drain as soon as you mix it because there will be an instant reaction. In the sink, place a measuring cup. Add one third of a cup of white vinegar with the same amount of baking soda. Put this down your drain. This mix can get rid of whatever is in your drain. If you can let this sit for an entire night, that is best. The very least amount of time that you should wait is one hour. Use hot water to flush your system. This mix is really great for drain cleaning.
3. Try baking soda and salt. If you still have some baking soda, mix one half of a cup of the stuff with the same amount of table salt (finally, a healthy use for salt!) and pour it into your clogged drain. Let this sit for one half hour. Take some boiling water and pour it down the clogged drain. This should remove even the grossest stuff that is clogging up your plumbing.
4. Try a wire hanger. Joan Crawford may have hated wire hangers but they can be very effective at fixing a clogged drain. Take a wire hanger and straighten it as much as you can. Bend the end. Shove it in as far as you can into the clogged drain. Try to pull out anything that may be stuck in there. Pull as much out as you can. If you get enough out, your drain should run fine.
5. Try a wet vac. The wet vacuum is a great tool that can be used to help with either a clogged drain or pipes that suffer from slow drainage. Make sure the vent is closed or you will pull all the gunk out of your drain only to splatter it all over your wall. No on wants that. Use the end of the vacuum to make a seal over the drain and turn on the shop vac. It should pull out whatever gunk is causing the clog. You can rent these from your local hardware store if you do not have one.
6. Try a sewer snake. This simple tool can do great things when it comes to removing clogs from your sink and even toilet. This is a metal rope that can push out whatever is clogging up your pipes. If you own a home and do not own a snake like this, you should go get one right away.
7. Try dish detergent. This is really great for clogged toilets. This works even if your best friend was taking care of your cat and they flushed the clumping litter down the toilet (never do that). Take some lemon dish hand dish soap and pour it into your toilet. Follow with medium hot water (you do not want to crack the toilet. Plunge. Repeat until your toilet is clear. Seriously, if there is cat litter down there, this can work but it may take all day. Be patient.

Clogged drains are no fun. You may not realize how much you use a drain until it becomes clogged. If these remedies do not work, you will need to call in a professional plumber.