Putting salt down the drain is like giving your pipes a little boost. It helps prevent clogs and keeps things smelling fresh. But not on its own.
Mix it up with other solutions and it’s an easy and cheap way to keep your plumbing happy and your home smelling good. Let’s find out how salt can be a handy friend for your pipes!
Is it a good idea to pour salt down the drain? It is highly recommended to use this method, and many people ask, “why pour salt down the drain? ”
Grease and emulsified fats will be broken down by salt on their own. The effects of this are especially noticeable when it is combined with vinegar and hot water. But avoid pouring salt every now and then.
Caution:
A slow draining pipe can be solved with salt, but salt, like other DIY remedies, can cause corrosion. Take a look at the way salt corrodes your car’s metal. If you use salt to unclog your drains, the same thing can happen.
Galvanized pipes are commonly used in drainage systems. The threaded pipes do not have a protective galvanized coating. There are some issues you may encounter if you put salt on exposed steel.
Salt In The Drains: Fact Or Fiction
The salt down the drain trick is one of the most common tricks in the book. For as long as drains have been clogged, this method has been tested and proven.
How does it work? You’ll find all the information you need about pouring salt down your drains right here.
One of the things that became viral on the internet was the idea that clogged drains should be poured with salt.
It might have been a slow week for TMZ. In any case, many people were inspired by this. It is okay to pour salt down your drain if the internet says to do so.
It may not be for everyone. Although it went viral, there was no evidence that it was effective.
Is pouring salt down your drain an effective method of unclogging it? The answer is no, not really. Certainly not on its own.
The Reasoning Behind The Myth
What is the point of pouring salt down the drain? You can see the logic in it once you think about it. You should be able to clear your drains by pouring salt down them. Salt is a coarse substance, so it should unclog your pipes.
A chemical reaction might also make sense, in theory, between salt and whatever causes the clog, resulting in its clearing. Sadly, this isn’t true at all.
Salt might help to clear your drain if you pour a substantial amount (read: unreasonable) down it.
Water is the only thing we recommend pouring down your drain in large amounts.
Even if you leave salt in drains overnight for several nights, they won’t get unclogged. It won’t matter how much you pour in, your drain will still become clogged.
Is There Any Benefit To Pouring Salt Down Your Drains?
In a nutshell, no. Plumbing systems don’t benefit much from salt on their own.
Based on what we have read online, salt, due to its coarse texture, creates a scouring action that scrapes debris from your pipes, especially when you flush them with boiling water afterwards.
It’s not proven that this actually happens. We do not recommend dumping large quantities of anything down your drains, other than water, because you would need a lot of salt to thoroughly clean your pipes.
Furthermore, pouring boiling-hot water down the drain can warp PVC pipes (rather than CPVC, which is heat-resistant), resulting in leaks.
All Mixed Up
If you’re disappointed that this was revealed to be a myth, we’ve got some good news for you. There is some truth to it.
Drains won’t be unclogged by pouring salt down them. When drains become clogged, salt is recommended (along with other ingredients) as a solution.
Also, it is recommended for mixtures that repel fruit flies. Salt and baking soda are the most common ingredients in homemade recipes. How effective is it? There’s a pretty big hit or miss factor involved.
The severity of the clog mostly determines how long it takes to clear. It is less likely that this mixture will work if the clog is severe.
To be fair, even a minor clog is not guaranteed to clear. In one sense, it is effective:
A clogged pipe tends to emit a foul odor. The odor may not be improved by salt and baking soda, but it will be improved by them.
Can Salt Be Used In Homemade Drain Cleaners?
Clogged drains can be cleared with salt, but it is usually only a part of old “homemade remedies.” HGTV.com has a few recipes for homemade drain cleaner.
In one remedy, a half cup of table salt and a half cup of baking soda are combined and poured down the drain.
Before flushing the mixture down the drain with boiling water, the directions state to wait 30 minutes (or overnight for a tough clog).
Salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and borax are other common ingredients in similar solutions.
Don’t Get Burned
You might not be able to drain your drain with salt, but what if you poured boiling water down it instead?
I urge you not to do this! The reasons for this are numerous.
To start with, you don’t want it to splash back up, causing you to burn yourself. Particularly if your sink has a curve.
Sinks made of porcelain could split in half if this happens. The risk and cost of that are both high.
Additionally, if your house has PVC pipes rather than CPVC pipes, the exposure could severely damage them! Additionally, this is a dangerous and expensive practice.
Do Homemade Drain Cleaners Really Work?
It depends on the situation. Baking soda can probably help to absorb some of the odor from a drain with some gunk clogging the pipe walls. If that is the case, one of the above methods with baking soda may be able to help.
The absorbent properties of baking soda are well known. The use of boiling water and soap (or similar substances, like borax) can also help reduce clogs caused by grease, so this type of cleaner may help prevent future clogs from occurring.
The problem won’t be solved by pouring a home-made or store-bought solution down the drain if there is a stubborn blockage deep in the plumbing.
The most effective solution at that point is to snake (or cable) the drain with a drain snake or hire a plumber to perform hydro jetting.
It’s the most effective long-term solution for tough clogs that a plunger cannot dislodge and neither of them requires any chemicals.
The Solution
What’s the best course of action? You should contact an experienced plumber for that. They will be able to resolve all of your plumbing problems while giving you advice on how to prevent them from happening again.
