You might be tempted to use chemical drain cleaners to get that nasty odor out of your household drains, but these cleaners are dangerous for your septic system. These cleaners destroy the natural bacteria found in the system that is used to treat the waste and wastewater. There is a way you can clean your drains naturally without damaging the system. Express Septic Services lists this natural cleaning process below.
Grab the Baking Soda
Grab your box of baking soda and pour at least 1/2 cup to 1 cup of it down each drain. You can use a butter knife to help get the baking soda to go down the drain. Depending on how many drains you have, you may need to purchase a large box of baking soda to have on hand so you can clean your drains monthly to prevent dirt, oil, and other things from building up inside the plumbing walls and causing unpleasant odors and drain clogs.
Grab Some White Vinegar
After you’ve put the baking soda in the drains, pour the same amount of white vinegar down each drain and then pull the stopper. In other words, if you used 1/2 cup of baking soda, use 1/2 of white vinegar. If you used 1 cup of baking soda, use 1 cup of white vinegar. The vinegar and baking soda will interact and start to bubble. This is what you want it to do. You want it to start eating away at the grime that has built up inside your drains and plumbing pipes.
Set the Timer
Set a timer to give the baking soda and vinegar a chance to work their wonder. If your drains are really bad, set the timer for one hour. If they aren’t too bad, set the timer for 30 minutes. This allows the baking soda and vinegar to clear away all of the grime that is making your drains slow and causing them to smell. Keep an eye on the timer and at about 10 minutes before it goes off, put a large pan of water on the stove and bring the water to a boil.
Rinse the Drains
Once the water has reached a boil, pour some salt into the water. Make sure this is plain salt, not iodized salt. Carefully take the scalding salt water and pour it down each drain. This water will make sure that it rinses away the baking soda, vinegar, and all of the grime. Boil more water if you need to.
Express Septic Services in Greenville, SC, advises that this is an effective way to clean your drains without adding any harmful chemicals to your septic system.
