Plungers are excellent for clearing drains. Pump the plunger up and down a few times, and suddenly things flow freely. But what if you have arthritis in your wrists, a shoulder injury, or some other physical problem that makes it impossible to plunge a drain? What if you tried using a plunger and you still have a clog? Luckily, you still have options. Here are some ways to clear a drain when you need additional options. 

Hair Grabbing Strips

While using a plumber's snake would be just as physically demanding as using a plunger, using a hair grabbing strip is not. These long, plastic strips have little teeth on them that grab onto hair that is caught in the drain. You just push the plastic strip down the drain and then pull it up again. There should be very little resistance, and you don't have to move quickly. If hair is clogging your drain, this should solve the problem — at most, you may need to insert and remove the strip a couple of times.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

If the clog is being caused by grease or soap residue and not by hair, then using a hair grabbing strip may not work. However, pouring baking soda and vinegar down the drain can be very effective. Start with the baking soda. You can use about a cup — or the entirety of a small box. Follow this up with about a cup of white vinegar. There's no need to measure; just eyeball it. Let the mixture sit in the drain for at least an hour. It will foam up and all over the place, but it's the foam that will loosen the grime. Run hot water into the drain, and with any luck, things should flow freely again.

Call the Plumber

If neither of the options above work, just call the plumber. Even if you were more physically capable, there is a good chance it would come to this. There is no need to be embarrassed either; clearing drains is a part of a plumber's job, and they won't ask why you were not able to clear the clog yourself. A plumber can use a device called a plumber's snake to remove whatever is causing the clog, whether it's hair or other gunk.

If you can't plunge, one or more of the options above should work for you. Contact drain cleaning services for further assistance.