It’s the season for entertaining and unless you have a family full of bald uncles, your drains will be working overtime and will have you pulling your family’s locks out of your shower. Here’s what you can do to try and clear that hair clog without harsh chemicals.

While a tangled mess in your drain is better than having your relatives tangle at the dinner table, solving the problem with chemicals isn’t healthy for your pipes or the environment. In addition to hair, all the hair products soaps gels coloring and other concoction and potions your relatives brought to beautify attach to the hair clumping up an already hairy situation.

Instead of reaching for that ever popular chemical , the solution might be right in your cupboard.

Baking soda, is a natural compound that can dissolve mineral deposits, organic compounds and fight odor causing bacteria and fungus in your drains.

3 easy steps to try and unclog a drain:

This method will require baking soda, white vinegar, and hot water.

1. Measure one cup of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Then one cup of white vinegar and pour it down immediately following.
2. Watch for a fizz effect to start and wait for five minutes after it stops then flush with two quarts of hot water.
3. Repeat this process until the clog clears

For a stubborn clog or odor, try adding a half cup of salt and let the mixture stay in the drain overnight then flush with two cups boiling water in the morning.

The good thing is this method will not harm your pipes or the environment, and should be used as a regular maintenance process to prevent clogs and odors from occurring.

If this procedure fails the clog could be further down the pipe and that’s when you give us a call. John Schoeffling Plumbing has decades of experience with drains and all phases of plumbing repairs, and will be happy to help you out with your plumbing needs.