Clogged drains can bring any household to a screeching halt. From a stopped up sink to a clogged toilet, you know how irritating it can be to have a plumbing problem. What’s more, tossing caustic chemicals into the water can only create a larger problem. In many cases, commercially available drain cleaners are too strong for the job. Instead of pouring deadly chemicals down the drain and into our water supply, you could have used a natural option and a little elbow grease. In some cases, the commercial drain cleaner cannot remove the clog. Now you still have a plumbing problem and you are looking at a sink full of chemicals that could damage your skin.

Before we start unclogging your bathroom plumbing, there are three hotspots for clogs you need to be aware of – curved sections of pipes or "traps" under sinks, tubs and showers; internal passages inside a toilet and inside a main drainpipe which leads away from your home. When you first spot a clogged drain, go into another room and see if a drain there also has a problem. While this is less likely, hair and grime are not always the culprits – sometimes the plug is a systemic issue. When this happens, you will be wasting a lot of time searching for a clog that is not in your drain.

For sink, shower or bathtub drains, the clog is likely in the trap. Start by putting on rubber gloves, reaching into the drain and pulling out the offending mess. While this is not the most pleasant option, it could be the fastest answer to your bathroom plumbing problems. If you cannot remove the clog by hand, it’s time to break out the plunger. Should this be another dead end, grab a big bucket and use a pipe wrench to undo the threaded collars that hold the trap together. Either the clog and water build up will fall into the bucket or you can try poking at the mess with a flexible wire.

If you are facing a clogged toilet, start with the plunger. If this does not work, consider trying a toilet snake. When you hit the clog, you can turn the handle and the snake will chew through it. Do not use a regular drain snake here, as it will scrap the inside of your toilet bowl. As a last resort, you can shut off the water supply and drain the toilet tank. Remove the nuts that hold the toilet to the floor and lift it away. Once the toilet has been removed, the floor level pipe is a good place to work a drain snake.

For a clogged kitchen sink, a few common household items will get your drain working again. Begin by putting water in a pot or teakettle to boil. A teakettle with a spout is the best option, but anything that holds water and can be warmed on the stove will do. While the water is boiling, pour half a cup of baking soda into the sink. If the sink is full of water, try to keep the baking soda in the area directly above the clog. Next, pour a quarter cup of vinegar on the baking soda. Any vinegar will work, but white vinegar is the best option. Now, put half a cup of salt on the vinegar. This combination will attack the materials causing the clog and break it down. Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes, then put on protective gloves and pour boiling water over the mix. Repeat the process as necessary for tough clogs.