Homeowner shares shockingly simple hack to clear clogged drains with household item: 'This worked so fast'

There are few things worse than a clogged drain. If you find yourself in such a predicament, here's an easy and quick-acting hack for you.

The scoop

Non-toxic lifehacker Ann Dunnington (@anndunnington) shared her convenient and simple tip for unclogging drains. The best part is that you only need one ingredient, and you probably already have it — dish soap.

@anndunnington #adulting101 #diyhomeprojects #moneysavingtips #homemaintenance #homehack #dishsoap #sinkclean ♬ original sound - anndunnington

In her TikTok video, Ann quickly takes viewers through the steps. First, pour half a cup of dish soap down the drain and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then heat up six cups of water and pour it down the drain. 

"It will clean out the gunk in no time, without taking it all apart," Ann says in the video. 

How it's helping

This hack saves money, time, resources, and waste. No extra trips to the store because you already have everything you need — convenience truly is priceless.

Using common household items to unclog your drain means you don't have to go to the store to buy chemical-filled name-brand products like Drāno. These products create a lot of plastic waste and contaminate our waterways and oceans through run-off, simultaneously endangering wildlife as well. They can also create plumbing problems over time as these products actually erode away at your pipes.

Natural alternatives are typically cheaper, just as effective and often safer than popular cleaning products. Baking soda and vinegar, two amazing natural ingredients, can help to break down grease and other gunk that builds up in drains when combined. Baking soda is a universal cleaning agent that can be used for drains, shiny sinks, to deodorize, to clean produce, and to keep laundry white. 

What everyone's saying

The drain hack was met with mixed reviews — some with success and others not so much. It seemed to work for natural buildup, but when it came to hair in the drain, a stronger solution like baking soda and vinegar was necessary.

"This worked so fast," one comment raved.

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"It worked!! Thank you!" another raved.

"This did it!" exclaimed a third.

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