Chemical Drain Openers: Your Experience

[The Critic]

I was over at my friend's house tonight and he said the drains in his bathroom sink and his bathroom tub were both draining rather slowly. If you filled his sink with a few cups of water, it would take several minutes to drain.

I tried using a plunger on the sink drain, but nothing came out. However, when I used it on the tub drain, a lot of hair came out but the water still drained slowly.

So, I went to the local grocery store and purchased a large container of Pro-Strength Liquid Plumer Power Gel. Poured 16-20 ounces in each drain (sink and bathtub), waited for 40 minutes, then flushed both with hot water. The bathtub is now draining perfectly and the bathroom sink shows a significant improvement-- not perfect, but works reasonably well.

Perhaps I just got lucky and the stuff worked for me. The stuff smelled pretty caustic, so I don't know if it is very good for the pipes, but it did the job.

What has your experience been with chemical drain openers?

 

[Boomer]

This stuff will eat through the plumbing if used with regularity. I don't think one time is a big deal but.... I far prefer to use a snake to clear out drains. You can buy these at any hardware store and keep them coiled for use in a closet.

 

[pcoxe]

If the chemical doesn't work, then you have a pipe full of hazardous material to deal with in addition to a clog.

 

[Patman]

It's funny you should start this topic now, as this has been something I've been looking into a lot this past couple of weeks. The drain in my shower clogs up a lot (at least once every couple of months) so I've been just buying Liquid Plumber or Drano. But I hate the smell of those fumes and figure that can't be doing my body any good, plus I'm sure it's harming the plumbing in the long run.

I decided to do a google search for "homemade drain cleaners" and found that a lot of people simply mix up a 1/2 cup of vinegar with a 1/2 cup of baking soda, pour it down the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes, then flush it down with boiling hot water from a kettle. I've decided that I'll start doing this about once a week just to keep my drain from getting to the point where it gets clogged up. So hopefully this cheap solution works, I guess I'll find out in a few weeks time!

Does anyone else have any homemade recipes that work?

 

[Scienceman]

All,
using an acid like draino or liquid plumber...ect is fine BUT if that dont work people tend to go to a hardware store and buy a lye (which is a strong base) if you already have acid down there and you add a base, it could explode in tyour face and burn you badly.

this is a reminder.

 

[Slick17601]

Originally Posted By: Patman
It's funny you should start this topic now, as this has been something I've been looking into a lot this past couple of weeks. The drain in my shower clogs up a lot (at least once every couple of months) so I've been just buying Liquid Plumber or Drano. But I hate the smell of those fumes and figure that can't be doing my body any good, plus I'm sure it's harming the plumbing in the long run.

I decided to do a google search for "homemade drain cleaners" and found that a lot of people simply mix up a 1/2 cup of vinegar with a 1/2 cup of baking soda, pour it down the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes, then flush it down with boiling hot water from a kettle. I've decided that I'll start doing this about once a week just to keep my drain from getting to the point where it gets clogged up. So hopefully this cheap solution works, I guess I'll find out in a few weeks time!

Does anyone else have any homemade recipes that work?


I do the same, it works.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Troy_Built
All,
using an acid like draino or liquid plumber...ect is fine BUT if that dont work people tend to go to a hardware store and buy a lye (which is a strong base) if you already have acid down there and you add a base, it could explode in tyour face and burn you badly.

this is a reminder.


If I recall correctly, the label said Liquid Plumer gel containers sodium hydroxide, which is commonly referred to as lye.

 

[demarpaint]

I've used liquid drain openers in the past with success. However my 25' snake is better and safer to use.

I'll have to try the home brew stuff, cleaning the snake is a PIA.

 

[andyd]

Hot water and Oxy clean work pretty well. So does a snake ( straigtened out wire coat hanger) to grab hair clogs which are the usual cause. I dont like liquid drain cleaners, they are a hazard both to copper plumbing and humans. All my sink and shwer traps are accessable and can be taken apart to clean out, but usually the snake works fine.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Never on a septic system. I'll open a cleanout and use a snake, or if the clog is under the sink simply take the trap off and remove the clog.

 

[Pablo]

With a household full of longhaired women folks, unclogging drains IS my main job in life.

Sticking with chemical - the NaOH (lye) based commercial products do work quite well for organic debris. For plastic piping there is little to no risk of harm to the pipes. Brass or other metal pipes, I would limit usage and rinse well.

Yes always wear safety glasses and just to be 100% safe don't even mix brands, even if you think they are NaOH based.

As a side note: I find 4 cans of Drano in a bucket with just enough water is a great way to clean gas stove enamel grill/pan rests. Don't try this with aluminum!!

 

[hemitom]

buy a screen that fits in your tub drain, you will be amazed how much hair collects in it after a couple of showers. Its no wonder these drains block.

 

[JustinH]

I bought a couple hair catchers for my apartments (filled with women). You would not believe the amount of hair gets clogged in shower drains after every shower.

I was tired of yanking it out once a month.

They are 99 cent rubber overlays from home depot.

I still use the liquid plumber a couple times a year on each drain. This is due to soap residue more than anything else.

I follow it up with near boiling water.

 

[Kestas]

My drains get slow two or three times a year. I drag in the garden hose and blast away at the drains. No cost - no chemicals. It gets the job done every time.

Once in a blue moon I have to take the plumbing apart and flush out the stubborn clogs.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
buy a screen that fits in your tub drain, you will be amazed how much hair collects in it after a couple of showers. Its no wonder these drains block.



+1 Our shower has a plastic lift out insert. Not a mesh pre se~, just a cover with normal square holes that lifts out. It always has a train of hair.

Cut, remove, replace. Voila~

 

[Scienceman]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Troy_Built
All,
using an acid like draino or liquid plumber...ect is fine BUT if that dont work people tend to go to a hardware store and buy a lye (which is a strong base) if you already have acid down there and you add a base, it could explode in tyour face and burn you badly.

this is a reminder.


If I recall correctly, the label said Liquid Plumer gel containers sodium hydroxide, which is commonly referred to as lye.


Maybe I got it [censored] backwards. Just be sure you never mix an acid and a base together.

 

[mechtech2]

There are also products that you add once a month down the drain.
They contain live cooties that eat the sludge.

 

[mrsilv04]

I've had good luck with one of these simple little tools. It's called a "Zip it" or something like that.

 

[Shannow]

Have used the caustic based ones with pretty good success in the past.

Was horrified when I saw a bottle of conc sulfuric acid at the hardware shop guaranteeing to unblock even the most stubborn blockage. No real warnings other than gloves and goggles.

Kestas' hose trick has worked well for me.

There's another product I use to keep things clean, actizyme contains enzymes that dissolve soap and stuff.

Although I don't like toilet blue, I will use the ones with copper sulfate in them from time to time to keep neighbouring tree roots out of the sewar pipes.

 

[crinkles]

drano pellets sovles our problem.