While drain emergencies should be left to the pros, smaller clogs can usually be fixed with nothing more than baking soda, vinegar, and some confidence. Here, two green cleaning experts share how you can clear out different types of drains using household staples. If you’ve used a snake and your shower is still clogged, try this next recipe as a second resort. This should help with drains that smell slightly stale or musty. But if yours has a more potent chemical or sewer-like scent, it’s probably time to call a plumber. Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
