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Winter is fast approaching, and over recent days alone, Ireland has been battered by Storm Amy.
When heavy rainfall strikes this October, the last thing anyone wants is to glance outside and discover water flooding their garden, driveway or worse still, seeping into their home’s foundations. This scenario can unfold when intense rain meets clogged drains, leaving drainpipes unable to handle the sheer volume of rainwater cascading through them due to a blocked outside drain.
That’s precisely why households are being encouraged to pour vinegar into their drains to help maintain clear flow. If your outside drains are frequently becoming blocked, there’s no need to splash out substantial amounts on costly drain cleaners – simply using vinegar and baking soda can maintain smooth operation without constant unblocking, reports the Express.
Plumbing website Wolseley explains: “Outside drains do many important jobs, handling everything from domestic waste to leaves and outdoor debris. This means that they can become easily blocked, but luckily drain unblocking is quite simple to do by yourself if a problem occurs.
“The best way of preventing your drains from blocking is by controlling what goes down them. If your drains connect to the inside of your home, you should make sure that no-one is putting cooking grease or coffee grounds directly down the drains as these are common causes of blockages.
“You can also add grates and filters to your outside drains to stop garden debris from blocking them. These are very effective against leaves which can contribute significantly to blockages. You can also add small filters to your plugholes indoors to catch food waste and hairs from being flushed down and contributing to blockages.
“If your drains regularly block despite precautions, you may wish to start putting baking soda, vinegar, or small amounts of a chemical drain cleaner down your drains to help keep them clear for longer.”
Website Plumbcare explains how to use vinegar and baking soda to clear a blocked drain too. It says: “Mix 2 parts baking soda and 1 part salt and pour down the drain. Warm 4 parts vinegar and pour down on top of the baking soda and salt. It will bubble and fizz. Let it work for 15 minutes and then flush through with hot water.”
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