Q&A for How to Unblock Outdoor Drains

You really need to call a professional for that. The lines are larger outside, so you really need a professional-sized snake. If that doesn't work, the professional can use other tools, like high-pressure water jets.

If you're talking about water inside of the pipe deeper down that you can see with a flashlight, yes, that's totally normal. Every drain has a J-shaped pipe where a little water pools up. This keeps the gas in the pipe from getting out and smelling badly.

You wouldn't use baking soda and vinegar in that scenario. Your blockage is completely preventing water from draining, so you have to use a drain auger.

It won't react the same way white vinegar will. You can try it. It's probably not going to do any harm to your pipes, but we're not very confident this combination will do the trick.

That bubbling noise is normal if you have a garbage disposal. If you don't have one, it's a sign that you do actually have a blockage, just not one that's keeping water from draining. Try snaking your nearest drains in the kitchen and the bathroom. That bubbling sound is water coming up in one of the adjacent drains.

You can unblock an external or outdoor drain by lifting up the grate covering it and breaking up the clog with your hands or a drain rod if you can reach it. After you break up the clog, pour about 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water down the drain using your hose to test the drainage and to get rid of any loose material. Then, use 1–2 cups (240–470 ml) of bleach to prevent any smells and to break apart any residual obstructions.

You can stick drain rods down outside drains to try to break up clogs or obstructions that may be blocking it. You can also pour 1 cup (208 g) of baking soda into the drain, then pour 1 cup (240 ml) of vinegar to the drain to start a reaction that will unclog the drain. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes, then pour a large pot of boiling water down the drain to lift loose material and flush the clog down the drain.

Yes, you can make your own outdoor drain cleaner using vinegar and baking soda. Start by removing the grate with a screwdriver and pour about 1 cup (208 g) of baking soda into the open drain. Then, pour 1 cup (240 ml) of distilled white vinegar into the drain to start a chemical reaction that will break up the clog. Wait about 30 minutes, then dump a large pot of boiling water down the drain to flush the clog, baking soda, and vinegar away.