Baking Soda, Salt and Cream of Tartar Drain Cleaner: Does It Work?

Yes, but only for the right kind of problem. A baking soda salt and cream of tartar drain cleaner works well as a weekly maintenance treatment for slow kitchen and bathroom drains coated with soap scum, light grease, and odor-causing film. It does not reliably clear a fully blocked drain or a dense hair clog. The mix is simple: 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup table salt, and 1/4 cup cream of tartar, stored in a sealed jar. Pour about 1/2 cup into the drain, follow with 2 cups of very hot water, wait 30 minutes to an hour, then flush with hot tap water.

Much of the cleaning power actually comes from the hot water melting grease, with the powders adding mild abrasion, a small fizzing reaction, and deodorizing. Think of this recipe as preventive care, not a clog buster. If water is standing in the sink, reach for a plunger or drain snake first.

Below is exactly how the ingredients work, the step-by-step method, what to expect, and when the job needs a plumber instead.

How a Baking Soda Salt and Cream of Tartar Drain Cleaner Works

Each of the three ingredients plays a different role, and understanding them helps you set realistic expectations.

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)

Baking soda is a mild alkali. It helps break down fatty acids and neutralizes odors from decomposing food particles. Its fine crystals also provide gentle scouring against pipe walls without damaging PVC, cast iron, or copper.

Salt (Sodium Chloride)

Salt adds bulk and abrasion. Coarse grains scrub the slimy biofilm that builds up inside drains and trap arms. Some people prefer kosher salt for larger crystals. Salt also dissolves in hot water, so it rinses out cleanly.

Cream of Tartar (Potassium Bitartrate)

Cream of tartar is a weak acid and a byproduct of winemaking. When it dissolves in water alongside baking soda, the two react and release carbon dioxide bubbles. That is the same chemistry that makes baking powder rise. The fizz helps agitate loose debris, and the mild acidity can help soften mineral deposits from hard water.

The reaction is gentle, far weaker than commercial drain openers built on sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid. That is both the benefit and the limitation. It won’t harm your pipes, septic system, or skin, but it won’t dissolve hair or a solid grease plug either.

The Recipe and Step-by-Step Method

Ingredients

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup table salt or kosher salt
• 1/4 cup cream of tartar
• A clean, dry glass jar with a tight lid

Stir the powders together until evenly mixed and seal the jar. Keep it dry, because moisture triggers the reaction early and wastes it. Label the jar clearly and store it away from food ingredients and out of children’s reach.

How to Use It

1. Remove the drain stopper or strainer and pull out any visible hair or food scraps with gloves or a plastic drain tool.
2. Run hot tap water for 30 seconds to warm the pipes, then let the sink drain completely.
3. Pour 1/2 cup of the mix directly into the drain opening. Use a funnel on small bathroom sink openings.
4. Slowly pour 2 cups of very hot water down the drain. See the safety note below on boiling water.
5. Cover the drain with a stopper or wet rag to keep the fizz working inside the pipe.
6. Wait at least 30 minutes. For best results, do this before bed and let it sit overnight.
7. Flush with hot tap water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Repeat weekly for kitchen sinks and every two weeks for bathroom sinks and tubs. Regular use keeps grease and soap residue from building up into a true clog.

Boiling Water vs Hot Water: Protect Your Pipes

Many online recipes call for a full kettle of boiling water. Be careful. Boiling water at 212°F is generally fine for metal pipes, but many homes have PVC drain lines, and repeated boiling water can soften PVC and stress solvent-welded joints over time. Boiling water can also crack porcelain toilet bowls and some ceramic sinks, and it can damage the wax seal under a toilet.

• For PVC drains, use water that is very hot but just off the boil, or the hottest your tap provides.
• Never pour boiling water into a toilet.
• Pour slowly and directly into the drain, not onto the sink basin, to avoid thermal shock to the fixture.
• Do not use boiling water on a drain with standing water; it cools instantly and can splash back.

What It Clears and What It Won’t

Hair is made of keratin, a tough protein that mild acids and bases cannot break down in a reasonable time. Pull it out mechanically. A 20-inch barbed plastic drain tool costs a few dollars and removes most bathroom sink and shower clogs in under five minutes.

How It Compares to Baking Soda and Vinegar

The more famous home remedy is baking soda followed by vinegar. The vinegar version fizzes dramatically because acetic acid is a stronger acid in solution, but most of the reaction happens right at the top of the drain and is over within a minute. The fizz is mostly visual.

Cream of tartar produces a slower, gentler reaction that can travel further into the pipe with the hot water, and the dry premix is more convenient because it’s stored in one jar. Salt adds the scouring action the vinegar version lacks. Neither method dissolves serious clogs. The best approach is picking one and using it consistently as a preventive routine.

Other Clog Fixes to Try First

If your drain is truly clogged rather than slow, work through these steps in order before calling for help.

1. Plunge. Use a cup plunger for sinks and tubs. Fill the basin with 2 to 3 inches of water, block the overflow opening with a wet rag, and give 15 to 20 firm strokes.
2. Clean the P-trap. Under the sink, place a bucket beneath the U-shaped pipe, loosen the slip nuts by hand, and empty the debris. This alone fixes many kitchen sink clogs.
3. Use a hand auger. A 1/4-inch drum auger, about 25 feet long, reaches clogs in branch lines behind the wall.
4. Try an enzyme cleaner. Bacterial and enzyme products slowly digest organic buildup and are safe for septic systems, though they work over days rather than hours.

Safety Notes on Mixing Drain Chemicals

The baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar mix is very safe on its own, but one scenario is dangerous. Never add homemade remedies, vinegar, or anything else to a drain that still contains a commercial chemical drain opener. Acidic and caustic drain cleaners can react violently with each other and with other cleaners, splashing hot, corrosive liquid or releasing harmful fumes. Bleach mixed with acids or ammonia-based cleaners can release toxic chlorine or chloramine gas.

• If you’ve recently poured a chemical drain opener, flush thoroughly with plenty of cold water and wait several hours before trying anything else.
• Tell your plumber exactly what products are in the drain before they start work.
• Wear gloves and eye protection when removing P-traps that may contain chemical residue.

When to Call a Licensed Plumber

Home remedies have limits. Call a licensed plumber if water backs up in more than one fixture at once, if a floor drain or basement tub overflows when the washing machine drains, if you hear gurgling from toilets when a sink drains, or if you notice sewage odors that return quickly after cleaning. These point to a main line clog, a venting problem, or tree roots in the sewer lateral, none of which a pantry recipe can fix. A plumber can run a motorized auger or hydro-jet and may use a camera to inspect the line.

Keep Drains Flowing Between Cleanings

• Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing, and collect cooking oil in a can for the trash.
• Install mesh strainers in kitchen sinks and hair catchers in showers.
• Run hot water for 15 to 30 seconds after each use of the kitchen sink.
• Avoid putting coffee grounds, eggshells, rice, and pasta down the disposal.
• Use the baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar mix on a fixed schedule, such as every Sunday night.

Frequently Asked Questions