Best for: A sink that takes minutes to empty, or a shower tray that pools water.

What you need:

Steps:

Many people confuse the two. While they are related, they are not the same.


Carefully pour about 1–2 litres of boiling (not just hot) water down the drain. The hot water activates the soda crystals and helps dissolve the grease.

Safety tip: Stand back slightly – steam and hot water can splash back.

According to plumbing forums and household trials:

One user reported: “I used soda crystals to unblock a drain that had been slow for months. After one overnight soak, the water vanished in seconds. I’ll never buy expensive chemical gels again.”