Happily the answer is yes and in many cases you can. And before calling a plumber, there are DIY fixes that can be tried ranging from simple chemical reactions to manual mechanical removal. The most effective approach will depend on the severity and location of the clog.

DIY quick fixes

• Boiling water: For minor grease or soap scum blockages, slowly pour a full kettle of boiling water down the drain in two or three stages. Caution – avoid this if you have PVC pipes, as the heat can soften or damage plastic joints.
  
  
• Baking soda and white vinegar: Pour 1/3 cup of baking soda followed by 1/3 cup of at least 5%, ideally 20%+ vinegar down the drain. The resulting fizzing reaction breaks down grime. Let it sit for at least an hour before flushing with hot water.
  
  
• Washing up liquid: For kitchen sinks blocked by fat, pouring dish soap followed by hot water can help liquefy and flush away the grease.
  
  
  

Manual removal

• Clean the p-trap: Place a bucket under the U-shaped pipe (the trap) beneath the sink. Unscrew the slip nuts by hand or with a wrench, remove the trap, and clear out any hair or debris collected inside.
  
  
• Plumbing snake or auger: If the blockage is further down the pipe, insert a drain snake and rotate it clockwise to hook or break through the obstruction.
  
  
• Straightened wire hanger: For clogs near the drain opening (like hair in a shower), use a wire hanger with a small hook bent into one end to “fish” out the gunk.

Advanced solutions

• Wet/dry vacuum: For stubborn clogs, a wet vacuum can be used to suck the blockage out. Ensure an airtight seal between the vacuum hose and the pipe using a rag or tape.
  
  
• Drain rods: If the blockage is in an outdoor or main underground waste pipe, to physically push or break the clog. Always rotate the rods clockwise to prevent them from unscrewing while inside the pipe.
  
  
  

When to call a professional

If DIY methods don’t work or you notice the following, getting in touch with a licensed plumber recommended by your local water company’s advised:

• Water backing up in multiple fixtures simultaneously.
  
  
• Sewage smells persisting despite cleaning.
  
  
• Visible cracks, leaks at the joints, or external damage to the pipework.
  
  
  

Before attempting to clear a severe clog, a plumber will usually perform a drain survey. For this a flexible, waterproof high definition camera is fed into the pipe to provide a real-time video feed. This allows the identification of the exact cause (e.g. tree roots, collapsed pipe, or “fatberg”) and location, preventing unnecessary work or damage.

A high-torque electric drain auger would then be used to spin a heavy-duty cable with a specialised “cutting head” to shred through solid debris.

The gold standard, a high pressure would be used for sever residential and commercial clogs. Unlike a snake/auger which makes a hole through a clog, the multi-directional nozzles scour the entire interior wall of the pipe, and can remove decades of grease and scale buildup – restoring the pipe to “like-new” condition.