You’re dealing with a slow, stubborn toilet clog late at night when the stores are closed. You’ve already tried the plunger—no luck. The water level is just high enough to make you nervous. Then you remember an old DIY trick: baking soda and vinegar.

You grab a box of baking soda from the kitchen and a bottle of white vinegar. First, you gently pour about one cup of baking soda directly into the toilet bowl, aiming for the drain opening. It sits there like a little white island. Then you slowly pour two cups of vinegar around the sides of the bowl. Almost immediately, it starts to fizz and foam—aggressive bubbles rising up like a science-fair volcano. You let it sit for 30 minutes while the chemical reaction works to break down organic gunk and soap scum.

After the fizzing dies down, you pour a kettle of hot (but not boiling) water from waist height to add pressure. A few seconds later, you hear that glorious glug-glug sound—the water level drops. You flush, and the toilet empties cleanly. No more clog. You just saved a midnight plumbing disaster with two pantry staples.