When the floor drain of your laundry room, shower, garage, or basement clogs, you can find yourself dealing with an unpleasant mess. To help you remove the clog and avoid the possibility of expensive water damage, Do It Right Plumbing Sewer & Drain Services, an experienced plumber in South St. Paul, MN, offers the following three-step drain cleaning process. A bit of elbow grease and persistence should eventually solve even a persistent plumbing problem.

How to Unclog a Floor Drain

1. Plunger

The simplest solution is to use a cup plunger. Smear its rim with petroleum jelly to ensure it seals tightly against the floor, and place its mouth over the floor drain. Plunge it up and down several times to dislodge the clogged material. You should hear a gurgling sound as trapped water begins to drain. Test for success by pouring a small amount of water down the drain.

2. Baking Soda & Vinegar

If the plunger doesn't fix the problem, attack the clog directly. Wear rubber gloves. Using a screwdriver, remove the screws holding the drain grate in place and lift it out of the floor. Remove by hand any drain gunk within reach. Then, pour a quart or more of boiling water down the drain and let it dissolve the clog for 10 minutes. Pour a box of baking soda into the drain, and follow it with a quart of white vinegar. The combination should cause bubbling and foaming, and the chemical reaction should help eat away at the clog. Let this sit for 10 minutes, and then rinse it down with another quart of boiling water.

3. Drain Snake

If neither of the above solutions works, use a drain snake to manually remove the clog. Rotate the handle during insertion until you feel resistance. This means you've reached the clog. Push down and rotate the handle more swiftly to sweep away the material causing the clog. Any residual water should disappear down the drain with a gurgle.

If you're having no luck unclogging the floor drain yourself, contact Do It Right Plumbing Sewer & Drain Services, an experienced plumber in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. In addition to fast, reliable drain cleaning, they provide expert plumbing repair and installation services throughout the Twin Cities. Call (612) 388-8524 to schedule service with a friendly plumber, or visit their website to submit a contact request form.