If your sewer drain has become blocked, that can be a significant health hazard, as the last thing you need is not to be able to flush away your bathroom waste. In such a scenario, you need to get hold of a professional sewer drain cleaning service. But first, let’s look at why your drains might get blocked in the first place and what you can do to clean your drains yourself before you call out a professional sewer drain cleaning service.

Signs your drain might be blocked

There are various telltale signs that indicate that your drain might need cleaning. These include:

• Bad smell – you might detect a sewage-like smell and wonder whether somebody forgot to flush the toilet.
• Gurgling sounds – this indicates that air bubbles are unable to reach the vent and so are getting trapped in the pipes.
• Overflowing or slow draining – normally, everything drains away quickly, so it can be rather worrying to see it take longer than normal or fail to drain at all.

Why do sewer drains become blocked?

For bathroom waste, a common cause of drain blockages is inappropriate materials being put down the toilet. This could include sanitary towels, nappies, tampons, face wipes, or cotton wool. You should place these items in a bin rather than down the toilet and reserve the toilet only for bodily waste and toilet paper.

However, even toilet paper can cause a problem if too much is put into the toilet bowl at any one time. This is just something to be aware of.

How to unblock a sewer drain yourself

Before you call out a professional sewer drain cleaning service, there are several DIY solutions you can try. It’s worth trying each one at least once before you call in the professionals.

• Boiling water – a buildeup of grease and toiletries can sometimes cause blockages. These have a low melting point, so pouring boiling water on them can help to loosen them.
• Vinegar and bicarbonate of soda can be an effective addition to the boiling water. After pouring the boiler water in, follow it with a cup of vinegar and a cup of bicarbonate of soda. After ten minutes, pour in more boiling water.
• Caustic cleaners – you can often buy caustic drain cleaners in DIY shops. These work to dissolve fat and grease, thus removing the blockage.
• Homemade drain snake – if none of the above methods has shifted your drain blockage, you can make a DIY drain snake. You can use any thin metal wire, for example, a coat hanger. You can then poke this into the drain to clear the blockage.

What to do if you are unable to unblock a sewer drain yourself

Although the suggestions mentioned above can be enough to shift some minor drain blockages, sometimes you just need to call a professional sewer drain cleaning service. They will have the experience and equipment to clear even the most stubborn blockages. For example, they can use a drain jet to force high-pressure water through the drain to clear it.

One company that has been effectively clearing sewers and other drains is Clearground. They have been in business since 2003, so they really know how all about sewer drain cleaning.