How to clear a clogged drain, the D-I-Y way

It's funny when a toilet overflows in the movies, isn't it? But in real life, it's rarely anything to laugh about. And neither is a clogged sink or floor drain.

Here are a few suggestions for how to clear a clogged drain without too much drama.

See if you can figure out where the clog might be. If only one fixture is affected, it might be directly in that fixture. But if a whole bathroom is affected, the clog probably is at the main drain for that room. If it's the whole house, then you can assume it's closer to the main drain.

A plumber's snake is a great tool for getting to clogs and loosening them. It's a long piece of heavy-duty cable that you feed into the drain until it reaches the clog and pushes it apart or pulls it out. These come in a variety of lengths and aren't very expensive. Every homeowner really ought to have one. It's a good way to unclog a drain without using expensive, harsh chemicals that can cause damage to you and your pipes.

You can feed the snake down the drain. You also can remove the “p” trap under a sink and run the snake into the drain line through that point. If your home has “clean-out plugs” or drain-line access from the outside, as most homes do today, you can remove the drain cover with a wrench and feed the snake into the line from that access point. Your home may have several access points from the outside, one on each side of the house, as well as a clean-out for the main drain. If you have a basement, you probably have a clean-out down there as well.

Feed the snake into the drain and work it back and forth to dislodge the blockage and break it up as you go along. It might be a little messy, but this is what most pros still use, and it works great.

Before putting drain lines back together or putting the plugs back into place, coat the threads of these covers with Teflon tape or petroleum jelly so they will be easily accessible in the future — and there will be a “future.” You can count on it!

Make a malletWhether you are working with a wood project or brick pavers, you'll want to use a mallet rather than a hammer to get the job done. A hammer can leave indentations on wood or crack a brick into several pieces. But you can use a hammer if you add a thick piece of rubber to the face of it. Use the rubber from an old floor mat or shoe sole. You can glue them on or use tape for a more temporary solution. Voila! You now have a mallet to use. More convenient cordsThere are lots of ways to store a long extension cord. Cord reels are our best choice for an extra-long cord. Here's a super, new and improved way to wind up a long cord in half the time! To start rolling it up, find the center of the cord instead of the end. Once you locate the center, fold the cord in half at that point, being careful not to do it so tightly as to crimp or damage the cord. Now start winding it onto the reel at the center point. When you do it this way, you'll end up with both ends out when you are finished. You can use some or all of the cord this way, and it will wind and unwind twice as fast. You also can use it without unwinding the whole thing. Super hints#8226; Need a chalkboard? Use chalkboard paint on just about any surface to turn it into a chalkboard. It's super-easy to do and works great for kids, teens, in the home and in the shop.#8226; An old shower curtain can be turned into a super shop apron or a great apron for kids when they do craft projects. You even can make a neat apron to use in your garden or when making burgers on the grill. Just lay the curtain flat on the garage floor and cut out your apron pattern. I love recycling!#8226; A rusty nut can be hard to remove, even with rust remover or penetrating oil. Try holding a hot soldering iron against the nut for a few seconds to heat up the joint. Sometimes this will do the trick.Q. I had used the plastic plug protectors around my house when the kids were little. I have a problem with one of them, in that the plastic plug is stuck in the receptacle. I was able to pull it away, but one of the plastic prongs is still in the outlet. How can I get it out?A. Turn off the circuit at the breaker box and test it to make sure it's off before proceeding. Remove the cover plate from the receptacle, and also remove the receptacle. If you can grab the plastic with needle-nose pliers, pull it out and replace the receptacle and cover. If the plastic is melted into the outlet or is impossible to remove, replace the receptacle with a new one. Q. We have several large trees in our backyard, and we are having trouble with our drain lines, also in the backyard. I was wondering if you can still put something down the sewer lines, like ice-cream salt or kerosene, to kill tree roots, or is that no longer allowed?A. Do not use kerosene in your drain lines. Ice-cream salt is still OK, although it might not do enough to get rid of the problem. You might do better to hire a pro and have him use his professional equipment to get rid of the roots. Q. I have an old bathroom that I want to update, but I am on a limited budget. I need to find a way to give it a new look without spending more than a couple hundred dollars. Can you give me some money-saving tips?A. Try to live with your old fixtures, if possible, as that is the main cost of a bathroom upgrade. New paint is inexpensive and can change the whole look of the room. Change out mirrors, shower curtains, cabinet hardware and, if you can afford it, faucets and towel bars, etc. Check granite dealers for remnants to see if you might be able to replace your countertop at a huge discount. Send us a photo of the #8220;before#8221; and #8220;after#8221; if you get a chance. We'd love to see your handiwork!Reader tips#8226; I made a self-watering pot for my plants from a large soda bottle. 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