Dead skin cells, soap scum, random food scraps, human hair, pet hair, and just regular ol’ dirt—these are all the things you regularly wash down your sink or tub’s drain. And if they sound gross now, image how much worse they are once they’ve congealed into a stringy, slimy ball of gunk inside your pipes. Yuck!

You want to prevent any of this gunk buildup before it becomes a real problem—especially in homes with older pipes or large families. The first sign of a growing clog? A gray ring around your tub or sink from the water sloooooowly draining, giving soap bubbles ample time to attach and dry to that formerly clean porcelain. Another sign is water pooling around the drain. If you can actually see the slow drainage, it’s time to act!

There are strong chemical cleaners designed to tackle truly clogged drains (and boy, do they smell like they’re working!), but for prevention and regular maintenance, a DIY unclogger (a professional term!) will do. This method combines a couple products—with surprising cleaning powers—that you already have in your cabinets.

How To Make Your Own Drain Cleaner

Ingredients

Boiling-hot water

Baking soda (about a cup)

Fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about a cup)

Equipment

Spoon or funnel (optional)

Tub stopper or rag

Instructions

This post originally ran on Kitchn. See it there: How To Make Your Own Drain Cleaner