Drain Cleaner
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Danger and Usage Considerations for Drain Cleaner
Handheld Drain Auger
Air burst Drain Cleaner
Home Remedy Drain Cleaners
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Drain Cleaner Water Jetters
Home remedy drain cleaners
Various home remedies exist for cleaning drains including pouring boiling water down the drain opening to remove blockages of soap or hair. Another method is pouring baking soda and vinegar into the drain to cause a reaction.
The method using baking soda and vinegar is not dangerous but isn’t particularly effective although this is often recommended as an at home drain cleaning method. As baking soda is a weak base and vinegar is a weak acid, the logic behind the reaction is sound as the baking soda can saponify oils and the vinegar can neutralise, but the weak nature of both items means that it is mostly ineffective. A stronger product, like lye, is needed to convert oils into soap. Using stronger products together, however, like lye (sodium hydroxide) and hydrochloric acid, is a worse combination. These two items do not mix well together, and they neutralise each other which makes them unsuccessful. The reaction would cause a build-up of heat and this can cause damage to the pipes. Another damaging combination is acids being combined with bleach as this will produce hazardous chlorine gas.
Home remedy drain cleaners can be beneficial as they are readily available and safe for the environment. However, they do tend to be less effective than other drain cleaners like chemical cleaners.
It is suggested that boiling water should not be used to clear drains as it is 100C and this surpasses the Vicat hardness (thermal deformation temperature) of PVS drain line (65C.) This means that it can melt the ring, which the toilet is mounted on, as it is made from wax.
Handling different chemical items needs to be considered carefully when using home remedy drain cleaners and great care needs to be taken when using these products at home.
