Throw this in the sink and the drain will never clog again! (The Japanese Method), by The Japanese Method on YouTube. 12 min 50 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 50 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes plus freezing time
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Squeeze two or three lemons into a bowl and keep the squeezed halves. You need roughly 100 ml of juice for one tray of cubes.
Add two tablespoons of baking soda to the juice and stir until it stops fizzing. The mix should look like thin paste, not dry powder.
Pour the mix into an ice cube tray and freeze it for at least four hours. Pop the cubes out and keep them in a bag in the freezer.
Boil a full kettle of water and pour half of it slowly down the drain. This softens the grease film that holds food scraps.
Drop two frozen lemon cubes into the drain and run hot water for 30 seconds so they melt and spread through the pipe.
Wait 10 minutes, then pour the rest of the hot water down in one steady stream. This pushes the loosened grease and debris along.
Repeat the treatment once a week for the first month, then once a month to keep the drain clear.
If the sink still drains slowly, use a plunger or a drain snake before trying more cubes. A full blockage needs mechanical clearing, not a cleaning cube.
Tips and common mistakes
Never pour cooking oil or fat down the sink, even with hot water, because it sets in the pipe as it cools.
Skip the lemon if your pipes are old metal, since acid can slowly wear the inside surface.
Run hot water for 20 seconds after every wash-up to stop grease settling in the trap.
If the smell returns within days, check the U-bend for trapped food rather than adding more cubes.
Questions
Do lemon cubes really unblock a fully clogged sink?
No. They help break down grease and smells in a partly slow drain. A solid blockage needs a plunger, a snake or a plumber.
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemons?
Yes, about 100 ml of bottled juice works the same. Fresh lemons just smell stronger and give you the rind to scrub the sink.
Is baking soda and lemon safe for plastic pipes?
Yes, in these small amounts it is mild. Avoid strong caustic drain chemicals on plastic push-fit pipes, as the heat and chemicals can damage the seals.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
