Can you leave baking soda and vinegar in drain overnight

Q I have noticed black slimy stuff in my bathroom sink drains. I don't know if it's black mold, mildew or soap scum. Is there anything I can do (on a daily, weekly or monthly basis) to prevent it from happening again, or to clean them without having to unscrew the drain elbow and take a brush to the insides of the pipe? I have a septic tank, so I'm a little leery about using any harsh chemicals in the sinks. -- Karen, Beverly Hills, Fla.

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How long can you leave vinegar and baking soda in drain?
Will baking soda and vinegar damage pipes?
How long should I leave baking soda in drain?
What happens if you put too much baking soda down the drain?

A Mr. HandyPerson is not recommending you do this necessarily, but if you went through your home with a flashlight and looked down all the other drains (the tub and shower, kitchen sink, garbage disposal, floor drains, etc.), you'd see that about an inch down, all these drains are likely to look pretty gross. The gray/brown/black gunk you'll see can be a combination of dirt, food particles, bacteria, mold, mildew, soap scum, cleaning products, cooking grease and dozens of other things that go into the drains depending on their location. From considerable firsthand experience, Mr. HP can assure you that the insides of drain and waste pipes are not pretty.

The substances and gunk that coat the insides of drainpipes do not pose a "problem in need of a solution" unless the drain becomes slow or blocked, or if the drain emits an unpleasant odor.

However, there is something quite simple and inexpensive you can do on a regular basis to prevent odors and to keep the drains operating freely. It is easy, cheap, environmentally harmless and safe with all kinds of plumbing, including septic tanks.

All you need is a tablespoon, a measuring cup (or a coffee mug -- measurements do not have to be precise), a box of baking soda and a bottle of white vinegar. Mr. HP always buys the largest available bottle of vinegar, usually a gallon, and the largest box of baking soda he can find on store shelves because they each have dozens of other applications around the house, it's cheaper, and he knows he will use them.

For smaller drains, such as bathroom sinks, put 1 or 2 tablespoons of baking soda directly into the drain, add a quarter-cup of water to get the powder down into the drain, and then add about a cup of white vinegar. It will fizz like seltzer and foam up a bit. Leave it in the drain for an hour or two or overnight, and then flush the drain with hot tap water.

For larger drains, such as tubs and kitchen sinks, use about a quarter-cup of baking soda, a half-cup of water to move the powder down, and 2 cups of vinegar. For toilets, increase the proportions to a half-cup of baking soda and 3 cups of vinegar into the standing water in the bowl. If you use your toilet brush and the fizzy baking soda/vinegar solution to scrub the toilet every few weeks, you will soon discover that you need no other toilet cleaning products. After using the brush to clean the toilet, you can leave the solution in the bowl until whenever the toilet is next used.

In addition to regular toilet cleaning, treat all drains in the house about every other month.

_______

Mail: Mr. HandyPerson, c/o Universal Press Syndicate, 4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111.

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You can use baking soda for a number of household chores, including unclogging drains. Combine baking soda with vinegar and hot water to remove stubborn clogs. Clean your drains and keep them clear by flushing them with baking soda once a week.

1
Put 0.5 cups (8.0 US tbsp) of baking soda down the drain. Measure out 0.5 cups (8.0 US tbsp) of baking soda. Carefully empty the baking soda into your clogged drain. If your sink has a stopper, use a cotton swab to push all of the baking soda into the drain.[1]
- To keep the baking soda from sticking as you pour it, dry off the inside of your sink or tub with a rag beforehand.
2
Pour 0.5 cups (120 ml) of white vinegar down the drain. Measure out 0.5 cups (8.0 US tbsp) of vinegar. Pour it into the drain slowly over the baking soda. This will cause a reaction between the two ingredients that should unclog your drain. [2]
- This reaction may not have an effect if your drain is clogged by hair.
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3
Cover the drain with a wet cloth for 5 minutes. Placing a wet cloth over the opening of the drain will seal in the baking soda and vinegar, making them more potent. Let the ingredients sit in the drain for a full 5 minutes. If you leave them for a briefer period of time they are unlikely to unclog your drain. [3]
4
Pour a full pot or kettle of boiling water down the drain. During the 5 minutes when the baking soda and vinegar are sitting in your drain, boil water. After 5 minutes, remove the cloth covering the drain. Slowly pour the boiling water down the drain to wash away the baking soda, vinegar, and the remaining traces of the clog.[4]
- Avoid pouring the hot water too fast as it may splash back and burn you.
5
Repeat the process if necessary. If baking soda and vinegar do not successful unclog your drain the first time you use them, feel free to try again. These natural ingredients won't harm your sinks or drains. It may take 2 or 3 tries for the reaction to successfully remove all of the buildup clogging your drains.[5]

1
Pour 1 cup (16 US tbsp) of baking soda down the drain. Baking soda is effective enough to clean both bathroom and kitchen drains. For a regular drain cleaning, measure out 1 cup (16 US tbsp) of baking soda. Carefully sprinkle it into the drain. [6]
- Dry out the inside of your sinks or tub first to prevent the baking soda from sticking to them.
2
Drizzle about 0.125 cups (2.00 US tbsp) of warm water over the baking soda. Moisten the baking soda to allow it to stick to the inside of the drain. After pouring the baking soda into the drain, carefully drizzle about 0.125 cups (2.00 US tbsp) on top of it. Do this slowly and gently enough to avoid washing the baking soda down the sink.[7]
- You can also moisten the baking soda with a fine mist of warm water from a spray bottle.
3
Let the baking soda sit for 1 hour. To clean your drains effectively, baking soda will have to sit for at least 60 minutes to permeate dirt and other buildup. Set a timer for an hour to keep track of the time. Avoid using the sink or tub before then. [8]
4
Run the water to flush the baking soda away. After an hour, turn on the tap. Run warm water down the drain for several minutes. This should be enough to flush away the baking soda and any debris it loosened from your drain. [9]
- Repeat this cleaning process on your drains once a week to avoid clogs.

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Is it OK to pour vinegar down the drain?

Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

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Expert Answer
Yes, it is! It has a very high acid content — which is why it’s great on soap scum! — and will break down a good bit of organic content that is stuck.

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Baking soda will also remove unpleasant odors from your drains.

As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!
If your drains are clogged with hair, purchase a hair clog tool from your local hardware store to clear them.
As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

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To unclog a drain with baking soda, first pour ½ cup (115 g) of baking soda down the drain. Then, pour in ½ cup (120 mL) of vinegar and cover the drain with a stopper or washcloth. Wait about 5 minutes for the vinegar and baking soda to fizz and break up the clog, then remove the stopper and carefully pour a pot of boiling water down the drain. The boiling water will help wash away whatever is left of the clog. Repeat as many times as necessary until your drain is unclogged!

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"Another great tip on something else you can use baking soda and vinegar on."

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How long can you leave vinegar and baking soda in drain?

Let hot water run for a minute to warm up the pipes. Drop in 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Pour in 1 cup of vinegar, cover the drain with a plug and let sit for 10 minutes – you will hear fizzing. Rinse with more hot water.

Will baking soda and vinegar damage pipes?

While the baking soda and vinegar solution is effective in breaking down a clog, it will also cause your drain to become more damaged. The baking soda's abrasive nature will wear down your drain over time. This is why you should avoid using baking soda and vinegar solution for cleaning out your drain.