Clogged drains are the bane of every homeowner. They can happen to anyone, at any time, and without warning. You might be in the middle of cooking dinner or taking a shower when all of a sudden you hear an ominous gurgling sound coming from your pipes. Your heart sinks as you realize that your plumbing system has become clogged again:(

The good news is that there are many tips on the internet for clearing clogs yourself before calling a plumber. We’ve compiled some helpful hints below to help you fix these problems before they get out of hand—and save money by avoiding expensive fees charged by plumbers!

Installation of a strainer can help you prevent many clogs with minimal effort on your part. Simply place the strainer over any drain, including sinks, showers, and bathtubs. The water will flow into the sink, but hair and other debris will remain in the strainer for easy disposal. You can then take a regular trip to the garbage to empty it when needed.

Why have a clogged shower head? It can decrease the water pressure coming from your showerhead significantly! In addition, this problem can lead to serious damage if not taken care of quickly—the bacteria from organic matter such as hair can grow in the showerhead and break down the metal.

If you have a clogged showerhead, try adding several denture tablets to your bathtub or sink to clear out any blockages. Just be sure that you remove the water from your tub or sink before attempting this method!

Boiling water can also help with small clogs in drains, especially hair clogs. Simply boil some water on the stove, then pour it slowly into your drain while holding back excess water with a bucket. As an added benefit of using boiling water, this process will kill bacteria that cause bad odors coming from your drain pipes.

Bad odors can also come from clogged drains and pipes. This is likely due to organic matter such as hair and food particles that get stuck somewhere in your plumbing system. You can naturally clear out these bad scents by pouring half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by several cups of boiling water. Then pour in enough dish soap to make bubbles throughout the sink or tub. Wait about fifteen minutes before running water through the drain again. This process will remove most—if not all!—of those nasty smells coming from your sink or bathtub!

If you are still having problems clearing out your drain even after trying these methods, then you may need to go under the sink and clear out your trap. Simply unscrew it, dump out any water inside, and rinse it off with some warm water. Then reattach the trap and refill the basin.

If you didn’t know already, sinks have a series of pipes underneath them leading back into the walls that empty into a larger drainpipe near your toilet or bathtub. This is called a “P-trap” and can become clogged over time if food particles and other debris settle down there—especially if they remain wet or moist! If you find yourself constantly having problems with bad odors, check for blockages in this area. If there is any, simply remove the P-trap under your sink and dump out any debris inside. Then rinse it out with some warm water, or better yet, replace it with a new one.

If you are trying to be more environmentally friendly but still want to solve your clogged drain problem, then try using vinegar! Yes, plain white vinegar will effectively clear away hair and other bits of organic matter that can build up within your plumbing system over time. Just put a pot of hot vinegar down the drain (with the water turned off), let it sit overnight, then pour baking soda down immediately afterward. This should clear away that nasty smell coming from your drains!

In addition, you can try adding a cup of white vinegar to your dishwasher soap compartment and run a cycle—it will help clear away any clogs in the plumbing system as well as disgusting odors! Just make sure that you run the hot water once the dishwasher is finished because cold water running through a clogged pipe could force any sediment or debris deeper into your pipes.

While it might be convenient to throw out trash down your drain, doing so can lead to major problems over time if those items fail to break down from normal use. Several things should never go down your drains: cooking oils, food particles or cutlets, fat or grease, and facial or makeup removing cleansers. You should also use water and baking soda to scrub away any tough stains in the basin before calling a trained professional for help!

If you can't fix it yourself, don't be afraid to call a professional! But if you do try these methods and still have problems with clogged drains, then call your local plumber as soon as possible!