Drains that are blocked not only struggle to pass water quickly, but they can also give off foul odours.

Blockages typically arise from everyday items like food remnants, soap scum, and oils accumulating over time.

Ollie, an interior expert at Bathroom Takeaway, suggests forgoing harsh chemicals in favour of a natural cleaning solution, but it’s not your regular vinegar and baking soda combination.

Instead, he recommended using soda crystals combined with hot water. Ollie said: “Try using soda crystals, also known as washing soda. 

“It's a simple and inexpensive solution that can effectively clear even the toughest sink blockages.”

The highly alkaline nature of soda crystals makes them great for dissolving stubborn grease and fat, thus resolving blockages and restoring normal flow.

While both vinegar and baking soda are common household cleaning agents, they should not be used to unclog drains due to their chemical reactions which cancel out one another, leaving them ineffective against grease.

Plus, repeated use of vinegar, which is acidic, can damage pipe materials, making gently alkaline soda crystals a safer alternative for plumbing maintenance.

Soda crystals have been specifically designed to be a powerful degreaser that will break down blockages while also being environmentally friendly and not using any harsh chemicals.

To begin this cleaning method, boil a full kettle and slowly pour the water down the sink.

Wait a few minutes for the water to drain away, and only once the water is gone, pour a large cup of soda crystals down the drain.

Leave the soda crystals to sit for around five minutes to give it time to unblock the grease buildup.

Fill the kettle again and bring it to a boil, then carefully pour the boiling water down the plug once again.

Keep repeating these steps until the drain is completely clear, and you should see improvements every time you do this.