Cleaning time can vary depending on the size and complexity of the drain system. A severely clogged drain may take a full day to clean.
Cost
$10–$200
May be worth the DIY if your budget is tight.
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
Rubber gloves
Safety goggles
Garden hose
Pressure washer
Sewer snake (for severe clogs)
French drains have a long lifespan if you maintain them properly. In fact, they can last between 30 and 40 years. The key is to inspect and learn how to clean your French drain at least once per year. However, in some cases, if the drain is showing signs of clogging, it will need to be cleaned as soon as possible.
Whether you are performing your routine annual cleaning or need to bust through a stubborn clog, use this step-by-step guide to learn how to clean a French drain successfully.
Angi Tip
A french drain provides a sunken channel for water to disperse into the soil surrounding your home. Installing this type of system requires digging a trench and hooking up pipe connections, among other tasks, so it's best to hire a professional french drain installation company for this project.
There are some do’s and don’ts you want to be mindful of when cleaning a French drain. Let’s dive into them before we review how to clean one.
Do attain the right equipment to tackle the job: You will want to gather the proper supplies and tools needed before jumping into this DIY project.
Do test the drain beforehand: You should always test the drain to ensure there are no severe clogs before attempting to clean it. If it’s a severe clog, you should consider hiring a French drain professional to help resolve it.
Do an inspection of the area and drain: Take a visual inspection of the area where the drain is buried to ensure there are no potential problems with the drain, such as sinking ground and visible tree roots.
Don’t skip annual maintenance: French drains need to be cleaned yearly to ensure they continue to work properly.
Don’t ignore signs of a clog: If you notice signs your French drain is clogging, such as a soggy yard or water backing up, you need to clean the drain immediately.
Don’t hesitate to call in a professional: While you can clean a French drain yourself, there is the chance you can damage the pipe if you need to utilize a drain snake to clear it. If you aren’t confident in tackling the task, you may want to call in a professional French drain expert to take on the job.
Prepping to Clean a French Drain
Photo: Maryana / Adobe Stock
You will need to gather the necessary tools for the job. For instance, you will need to wear safety gear like gloves and safety goggles while cleaning the drain. If you don’t own a pressure washer, you will need to rent one. It can cost between $50 and $250 to rent a pressure washer, but the average price is $90 per day. You also want to make sure you have a high-pressure nozzle so you can effectively clean the drain.
Now, keep in mind that if you have a severe clog, you will need to rent a drain snake or call a professional to unclog it. Renting an electric sewer snake can cost $90 or more per day.
Your required supplies vary depending on whether you are performing an annual cleaning or trying to unclog the drain. You should also be advised that when working with the needed tools to do the job, there is always a risk of injuring yourself or damaging the drain. If you aren’t familiar with the types of tools required, call in a French drain professional instead.
Clean the Access Point First
Before you flush out the drain, you will need to locate and clean the access point. You may have to remove a grate if it has one. Remove any leaves, dirt, debris, or sediment from the opening.
You can use a hand spade to scoop out the debris and put it in a bucket to discard it elsewhere to prevent it from washing back into the opening. Make sure to protect your hands by wearing rubber or waterproof gloves.
Use a Pressure Washer to Clean the Drain
Always wear protective gear when operating a pressure washer. You should wear safety goggles and gloves to avoid injury. If the drain is severely clogged, the water spray can shoot back out from the pipe. So, make sure you stand to the side of the pipe at a safe distance while flushing it out.
Insert the wand into the French drain pipe as far as possible before flushing it out. To avoid damaging the pipe, start the water pressure at a low level and gradually increase it if needed. Slowly move the nozzle back and forth to clean the pipe and dislodge any clogs it may have.
Utilize a Sewer Snake for Stubborn Clogs
A pressure washer can sometimes unclog a French drain, but if the clog is severe, you may need to use a sewer snake to bust through it. If you aren’t familiar with this type of equipment, you may want to call in a professional to clear the clog for you. If you try to do it yourself, familiarize yourself with the equipment so you don’t damage the drain pipe.
Inform the place you rent the machine from that you are using it to clean a French drain to ensure you get the correct equipment. Make sure to wear safety equipment such as goggles and gloves while operating the sewer snake. To clear the clog, insert the sewer snake into the drain’s access point and slowly feed it through the pipe. You will need to gently maneuver the snake to break up the clog, and once you retract it back, flush the drain out with water.
Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure you use the equipment correctly to avoid injury or damaging your drain.
Test the Drain to Ensure It’s Working Properly
Once you clean the drain, test it to ensure it drains correctly. You can do this by running water down the pipe from your garden hose. If water backs up or pools around the drain, you will need to use the sewer snake again to clear the clog. Or it may be time to call in a French drain professional to clean it out and prevent future issues.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Cleaning a French drain is a task you can tackle yourself, but it requires some DIY skills and risks damaging the drain pipe if done incorrectly. If you have a severe clog and can’t get it cleared or if you don’t want to risk damaging the pipe with a sewer snake, then you should hire a professional French drain company near you to clean it.
The average cost for drain cleaning runs between $150 and $340, with an average price of $240. However, that is much less expensive than it will be if you have to repair or replace the drain if you happen to damage it from trying to clean it yourself. So, you may want to skip the hassle of rounding up the tools and risk damaging the drain and hire a professional instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a couple of things you can do to help prevent your French drain grate from clogging. First, keep yard debris clear so it doesn’t wash into the drain and clog the grate. You can also install a screen or filter over the grate to prevent large pieces of debris from entering the access point.
The frequency with which a French drain clogs depends on various factors, such as the amount of debris that enters the pipe, the quality of the French drain installation, the type of grate and filter used, and how often it is maintained. That’s why it’s recommended to clean your French drain at least once a year, whether it is clogged or not. This can prevent clogs and increase the lifespan of your drain.
Kat has spent over 10 years sharing her knowledge on home ownership, finance, and inexpensive ways to do things yourself. Her work can be found in publications like Better Homes & Gardens and Real Simple where she writes tips on organizing, cleaning, gardening.
Kat has spent over 10 years sharing her knowledge on home ownership, finance, and inexpensive ways to do things yourself. Her work can be found in publications like Better Homes & Gardens and Real Simple where she writes tips on organizing, cleaning, gardening.
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