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Your sewer line can get grimy quickly. To prevent sludge buildup in your sewer line, pour a mixture of 1/3 cup of vinegar and 1/3 cup of baking soda down each drain in your home once a month. After about 30 minutes, flush the drain with hot water.

Some plumbers recommend 3/4 cup of bleach instead to clean any germs and bacteria that may build up in your sewer line. But this won’t break down any active clogs, and it cannot be combined with vinegar, as the mixture will create a toxic, hazardous gas.

If you’re wondering whether rats can come up the toilet, the unfortunate answer is yes, it’s possible, though it’s extremely rare. These rodents are excellent swimmers and can travel through sewer pipes in search of food, and they may follow plumbing lines leading to your home if they’re drawn by the scent of scraps and waste. The toilet’s U-bend holds a small pocket of air, which can help a rat catch its breath before making its final push into your bathroom. While more common in cities with larger rat populations, this can happen anywhere with connected sewer systems; sealing entry points and keeping drains clean can help reduce the risk.

You could be smelling sewer gas in your kitchen because of a dry P-trap, clogged vent pipe, or leaking plumbing seals. If you smell a rotten egg odor, check your sink’s P-trap and plumbing connections first. A clogged or damaged vent pipe can trap sewer gas and push it back into your kitchen through the plumbing pipes. Loose or deteriorated seals around drainpipes can also allow sewer gas to leak out. If you can’t find the source, call a local plumber for expert help.

The cost to unclog a drain varies based on the location and severity of the clog. For simple clogs within your home, such as in a sink, toilet, or shower, hiring a plumber typically costs between $110 and $350, with an average of around $200. Snaking a toilet or sink usually costs between $110 and $275, while a bathtub or shower clog costs about $225.

For a more serious clog in the main sewer line, the cost is higher. Clearing a main line clog generally costs between $200 and $600, with an average of about $380. However, prices can range from as low as $100 for snaking a minor clog to over $1,600, particularly if advanced methods like video inspection and hydrojetting are needed for a large or hard-to-reach blockage. Some severe main line clogs can cost upwards of $1,000 to clear depending on factors like the cause of the clog, its distance from an accessible cleanout, and whether the pipe is located beneath an occupied space (e.g., in an apartment building). You may be able to save money on minor clogs by using a drain snake or bladder yourself.