How to Fix Blocked Drains in Brisbane Southside (And When to Stop DIY)

If you live on the Southside—Greenslopes, Camp Hill, Coorparoo, Holland Park, Mount Gravatt—you already know how quickly a blocked drain can turn into a nightmare. One minute your kitchen sink is draining fine, the next it’s gurgling, backing up, or worse, overflowing during a storm. Brisbane’s humidity, clay soils, and massive tree roots don’t help.

I’m Maul from MSV Plumbing Services, and we’ve been clearing drains across the Southside for years. This guide walks you through the realistic DIY steps that actually work for minor clogs, plus clear signs that it’s time to call a professional before things get expensive or smelly.

Why Southside Drains Block Up So Often

Most blockages aren’t random. In our area, we see the same culprits over and over:

Kitchen grease and food scraps solidify inside pipes, especially in older homes with narrower lines. Bathroom hair and soap build up slowly until nothing drains. And then there are the tree roots—those big figs and gums love to push into stormwater and sewer lines, particularly in Camp Hill and Greenslopes where the soil is heavy clay.

Heavy rain makes everything worse. Stormwater drains get overwhelmed, backflow happens, and suddenly you’ve got water coming up the shower or laundry tub.

If it’s just one fixture slow, you can often fix it yourself. If multiple drains are affected or you smell sewage, it’s usually deeper in the system and DIY won’t cut it.

Safe DIY Steps That Actually Work

Start simple and work your way up. These methods have saved a lot of our customers from calling us out unnecessarily.

First, turn off any water running into the affected drain and grab a bucket, gloves, and some old towels. You don’t want a bigger mess.

Step 1 – Plunge properly A good plunger can shift a surprising amount of gunk. For sinks, use a flat-bottom cup plunger. For toilets, get the flange style that seals better. Cover the overflow hole (with a wet rag if needed), add enough water to cover the plunger cup, and give it 15–20 strong pumps. You’ll usually hear or feel a release when it breaks through.

Step 2 – Baking soda and vinegar flush If plunging didn’t do it, pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by half a cup of white vinegar. Let it fizz for 15–30 minutes (cover with a plate to keep the foam in). Then flush with a full kettle of boiling water (if your pipes are metal—avoid on PVC). This dissolves grease and organic matter without harsh chemicals.

Step 3 – Snake it out Buy or borrow a 5–10 metre drain snake from Bunnings. Feed it in slowly, turning the handle clockwise. You’ll feel resistance when you hit the blockage—keep twisting and pushing until it breaks through. Pull it out slowly (wear gloves—this part is gross). Run hot water to flush any leftover debris.

These three steps clear about 70% of the everyday clogs we see on the Southside. If the water still won’t go down or comes back up somewhere else in the house, you’re most likely dealing with a main line or stormwater blockage.

When DIY Is No Longer Safe or Smart

If you’ve tried the above and it’s still blocked, or if you notice any of these signs, stop DIY immediately:

• Multiple fixtures slow or gurgling

• Sewage smell in the laundry or bathroom

• Water backing up in the shower when the toilet flushes

• Overflow during rain

• The blockage returns quickly after clearing

These usually mean tree roots, collapsed pipe, or a major grease buildup in the main line. Trying to snake or chemical-bomb a main line can push the problem further, crack pipes, or create a bigger mess.

That’s when you need proper equipment—high-pressure water jetting to blast roots and grease, or CCTV cameras to see exactly what’s happening inside the pipe. We use both on almost every serious Southside job.

What We Do Differently at MSV Plumbing

We’re not a big franchise. We’re a family-run team based right here in Greenslopes, so we understand Southside plumbing better than most. We’ve cleared roots from Camp Hill stormwater lines, fixed collapsed clay pipes in Coorparoo, and jetted grease from kitchen stacks in Holland Park.

When you call us for blocked drains, you get:

• Same-day or after-hours response (24/7 for emergencies)

• Upfront fixed pricing—no “we’ll see when we get there” surprises

• Licensed, insured, QBCC plumbers with full public liability

• Lifetime workmanship guarantee on repairs

• Clean, respectful service (we clean up after ourselves)

If you’re dealing with a blocked drain right now, you can see our full Brisbane-wide blocked drains service here: Blocked Drains Brisbane. If you’re specifically in Camp Hill, check out our local page: Blocked Drains Camp Hill.

How to Stop Blocked Drains Coming Back

Prevention is way cheaper than repair. Here are the habits that make the biggest difference on the Southside:

• Put hair catchers in shower and bath drains

• Never pour grease, oil, or coffee grounds down the sink

• Use a sink strainer for food scraps

• Flush drains monthly with boiling water + vinegar

• Get an annual CCTV check if your house is over 20 years old or has big trees nearby

We offer affordable maintenance plans if you want to stay ahead of problems.

Final Thought

Most blocked drains start small and fixable. But waiting too long—or trying the wrong fix—can turn a $200 job into a $2,000+ nightmare. If you’re unsure, give us a call. We’d rather give you honest advice over the phone than charge you for a job you didn’t need.

Call MSV Plumbing Services today on 0450 705 508. We’re local, fast, and we actually care about getting it right the first time.

Stay clear, stay dry in Brisbane's Southside.