Life is busy. Whether a person is a parent, worker, socializer, or all three, household management is a hassle. Add the extra burden of keeping toxins out of the home, and it can seem unbearable. 

While they may look like extra work, made-at-home safe cleaning products and DIY solutions are money-saving hacks that can give even the busiest consumer peace of mind and a sense of accomplishment. 

Plumbing issues, especially, can feel daunting. There are so many unknowns in the world of pipes, drains, and excess water flow, so it can be surprising to everyday consumers to learn that many plumbing issues can be solved without chemicals or plumbers.

One Redditor took their frustration with their clogged drain to r/askaplumber, where they asked for solutions to a pesky (and wasteful) plumbing problem.

The scoop

The Reddit user's bathtub drain was clogged, and plunging alone was no help. The water from the tub traveled from the drain through the overflow hole, so the standing water in the tub was never-ending. 

bathtub wont drain. how to fix?
byu/Agitated-Sense-7090 inaskaplumber

"Bathtub won't drain," the Redditor explained. "It spills out the circular hole. Our water from the kitchen sink also spills into this tub." 

The attached video shows the original poster using a plunger on the drain, only for the water to return to the bathtub. 

Other Reddit users suggested plugging the overflow hole with a rag or a finger. The next step would be to plunge the drain, use a drain snake, or use boiling water. Chemical drain cleaners, while convenient, often do more harm than good. These in-store products can damage the septic tank by killing the good bacteria. 

Kitchens, bathrooms, and even drains can be properly and harmlessly cleaned with natural cleaning agents like vinegar, baking soda, lemon, and cornstarch. These products are non-toxic and effective cleaners. 

How it's helping

Natural cleaning agents, plungers, and drain snakes are non-toxic alternatives that do not cause bodily harm, damage septic tanks, or harm aquatic life. Chemical drain cleaners, on the other hand, do. 

Do you think governments should ban gas stoves? Heck yes! 💯 Only in new buildings 🏢 Only in restaurants 🍔 Heck no! 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

A common ingredient in drain cleaners is sodium hydroxide, or lye. This corrosive chemical can not only damage a plumbing system but can also negatively affect human health when inhaled or touched. Lye can irritate and burn the skin, eyes, mouth, nose, throat, and lungs. 

Additionally, the Guardian stated, "The EU's European Chemicals Bureau describes its (lye) ecotoxicity rating for aquatic organisms as being of 'chronic toxicity.'" It can burn gills and cause mucus buildup in fish, eventually suffocating them. 

What everyone's saying

Reddit users in the comments made no mention of chemical drain cleaners as a solution to the original poster's problem. They instead offered natural solutions.

"Try plunging while having/holding a wet rag stuffed in the above overflow," one commenter suggested. 

Another shared an anecdote about their experience, first mentioning that it's a good idea to search for tutorials on YouTube before saying they learned from a plumber: "We had a similar problem and I watched as the plumber did this, we had a hair clog. ... He walked me through the entire steps and every month I would do this and never another clog in the tub."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.