Clogged drains are one of those everyday annoyances that can quickly turn into a nightmare. In hot weather, they can start to smell pretty quickly, attract flies, and even cause mould if the water is left stagnant. Whether it’s a slow-draining sink, a foul smell in hot weather, or standing water in the shower, most of us want a quick, safe, and effective fix.

To find out what really works, we asked seven plumbing and bathroom experts for their go-to methods to ublock drains. And while they offered plenty of different hacks, one thing stood out: they all recommend starting with the same simple approach – boiling water.

1. Boiling water

Every expert agreed: before you reach for chemicals or fancy tools, start with boiling water. 

Pouring boiling water down drains is a simple yet effective hack, says Andy Ellis, shower and bathroom expert at Vidalux. "It can help fix drain clogs by melting and loosening any grease or scum that is in the pipes."

Olivia Young, cleaning expert at Astonish, gives the same advice: "Start by pouring a kettle of boiling water down the drain to loosen residue."

And Jess Thomas, managing director of Drainage Central, recommends doing it in stages: "Fill your kettle with the maximum amount of water that it can hold and boil it.

"Slowly pour the water down the blocked drain in two to three stages, allowing a few seconds between each stage to give the water time to work. This can be repeated if needed, and adding washing-up liquid can help if you think that the blockage is caused by grease."

An expert at Plumbworld agreed: "One of the easiest cleaning hacks is to pour boiling water down the drain regularly to help dissolve grease."

2. Baking soda and vinegar

Six out of seven experts also recommend the fizzing duo of baking soda (or bicarbonate) and white vinegar.

"Using a solution of baking soda, vinegar, and water can easily unblock a bathroom sink," says James Roberts, director of Sanctuary Bathrooms. "Vinegar's acidic nature enables it to dissolve dirt, grease, grime, and eliminate bacteria, making it an ideal cleaner for your bathroom."

Andy (Vidalux) agrees: “My go-to hack is to pop in about four tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda, pour over roughly 250ml of white vinegar, let it fizz for five to 10 minutes, then flush it through with more boiling water."

Olivia (Astonish) recommends the same method: "Add half a cup of bicarbonate of soda, followed by half a cup of white vinegar, and let it fizz for around 10 minutes before flushing with more boiling water."

Even Plumbworld stands by it: “For more stubborn blockages, a natural mixture of baking soda followed by white vinegar can create a fizzing action that loosens debris."

However, Jess from Drainage Central disagrees. She argues: "Leaving the two to sit in a drain for too long can cause them to harden and add to the blockage, and the acidity of vinegar may corrode older, metal pipes.”

Still, with six out of seven in favour, this is clearly the plumbers’ favourite home hack.

3. Prevention

Several experts stressed that unblocking is only half the battle – prevention is just as important.

“The trick is to keep on top of them before they get bad," says Andy (Vidalux). "Once a month, pull out any hair or gunk you can see, then pour boiling water down to clear things through."

Olivia (Astonish) recommends drain covers in the bathroom: “A simple drain cover can catch hair before it causes problems."

Plumbworld suggests strainers in the kitchen: “Regular use of drain strainers is also a great preventive measure to stop hair and food particles entering the pipes.”

4. Tools

If boiling water and baking soda don’t work, manual methods may be your best bet.

Aspect’s drainage engineer suggests a drain snake: “Carefully extract any obstructions you find using a drain snake, but be careful, as using too much pressure with a drain snake can cause damage to plastic pipes."

Plumbworld adds: "If you need a tool, a manual drain snake or a plunger designed for sinks can help physically remove clogs without harsh chemicals."

Jess (Drainage Central) offers a budget DIY tip: "You can use a wire coat hanger to make a homemade drain snake to attempt to fish out the blockage or dislodge it. Bend the wire of the hanger into a hook, and insert this into the drain to remove clogs."

5. Be wary of chemical cleaners

While some people reach straight for a bottle of caustic soda, the experts are cautious.

Aspect’s drainage engineer gives a stark warning: "Caustic soda or ‘lye’ (sodium hydroxide) is a type of corrosive unblocker that can eat away at uPVC pipes when used excessively. Unless the crystals fully dissolve and clear the blockage right away, they can harden like cement – creating an additional blockage. You may then need to replace the pipe entirely."

Plumbworld recommends avoiding harsh chemicals altogether: “Enzyme-based drain cleaners like Bio-Clean or Green Gobbler break down organic matter safely without damaging your pipes. Avoid chemical-heavy cleaners where possible to protect your plumbing and the environment."

Jess (Drainage Central) agrees bleach should be a last resort: “Bleach should be used as a last resort, as it can corrode some pipes."

6. Other hacks to unblock drains

A few experts suggested alternative home remedies worth a try:

• Salt and lemon juice – Salt can act as a mild abrasive, while lemon juice adds acidity and freshness.

• Effervescent tablets – Fizzy indigestion tablets dropped into a drain with vinegar can mimic the bubbling action of baking soda and vinegar.

• Washing powder – Biological washing powder to break down fat and oil, followed by boiling water.

• Vodka or Coca-Cola – Vodka can help with maintenance (to kill bacteria and odours), while Coca-Cola can dislodge dirt if you’ve got nothing else to hand.