4 Safest Yet Effective Chemicals to Unclog Your Drain

Is your bathtub or sink draining slowly? Have you had bad experiences with nasty and pungent-smelling chemicals when trying to flush your drain? Many homeowners have had to resort to chemical drain cleaners when dealing with their blocked drains. While these chemicals provide temporary solutions to the drain issues, and some actually work for a longer time, they do more harm than good to the drain system. 

Some chemicals are good enough for clearing the drains while some are unsafe, causing damage to the skin, the eyes and when ingested through the nose for too long, cause some level of discomfort. As it is, some clogs cannot be cleared with just plungers; hence the need for chemicals. This is why it becomes imperative to look for safe and effective chemicals to unclog your drain.

The best plumbers use certain chemicals to make their work easier. Although some blockage may not require you to engage the services of a professional plumber, you could, however, be saving a lot of money by making use of some of these chemicals to unclog your drain. 

So what kinds of chemicals are safe but effective in clearing stubborn drain clogs? Let’s take a look at 4 of them briefly.

Dish soap mixed with hot water

This may look funny because it’s not some chemical purchased from the chemical shop but it is very effective. The whole idea of safe and effective chemicals is looking for less chemical substances. Dish soap contains some chemicals that are good for unclogging drains that are blocked by grease. All you need to do is squirt a good amount of soap into the clogged drain. Wait for a few minutes for the dish soap to settle in. Then pour in some hot water. The hot water will help to soften the hardened grease, causing a freer flow. This is not only good for clearing blocked drains, but it can also help to prevent blockages if done at least once a week.

Vinegar and baking soda

We’ve all heard about it, though most of us forget about it, but a vinegar and baking soda solution is said to be one of the best home remedies for clogged drains to date. In the busy state of California, people oftentimes do not have the time to handle these drainage issues themselves and reputable plumbers from https://allserviceplumbers.com/la-habra/ suggest that this home remedy is perfect for locals as they can squeeze the process with ease in their daily routine. Although, if it doesn’t work after a few times, make sure to get an opinion from a professional to avoid any damages to your pipes. 

Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together can provide a volcanic-eruption-like foam effect that can help in clearing drain clogs. Vinegar is an acid while baking soda is a base and if you remember your elementary chemistry, acid and soda mixed together causes a chemical reaction which causes a bubble up which can eat through tough clogs. 

To use this method;

• Make sure all dirt and debris are removed from the drain exterior opening

• Pour about a three-quarter cup of baking soda down the drain

• Pour out about half a cup of vinegar down the drain too. Try to immediately cover the gaseous bubble with a rag so that you don’t inhale the choking smell.

• Leave there for about 30 minutes while you boil water.

• Uncover the drain opening and pour out the hot water down the drain. This should do the magic.

Hydrogen peroxide

Many people do not know this, but Hydrogen Peroxide is also one safe yet effective chemical to unclog your drain. To use it, you will need to mix up a tablespoon of baking soda with a cup of Hydrogen Peroxide. Pour out the mixture into the drain and allow it to foam. This will help unclog the rain. While using this method, it is advised that you take precautions just like you would when using a real chemical, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands, use mitts or pot holders to carry the pot so that you don’t burn your hands with hot water, keep your face at a distance when pouring out the hot water into the drain so that it doesn’t bubble out into your face.

Caustic soda

Caustic soda is also known as Sodium Hydroxide and is known for its potential to cause chemical burns so you have to be careful with this one. You can easily purchase it from the local store. Pour out about three-quarters of a gallon of cold water into a bucket. Add about 3 cups of caustic soda and stir with a wooden spoon till a fizz is formed and heat is generated. Pour out the mixture into the clogged drain and leave for about 30 mins. After this, flush the drain with boiled water.

In some extreme cases, none of these methods may give you exceptional results and you may need to contact a professional plumber to come and help you unclog your blocked sinks. The good thing is that there are some really good plumbers out there who will get the job done in reckon time and that is not overly expensive. Although you may not know which plumber is actually really very good until you have read reviews online or get recommendations from friends, families or neighbors. 

If you, however, must use any of the above methods, make sure proper precautionary measures are taken to prevent splashes and burns.

It is a lot better to keep your drain from clogging than trying to unclog it. Any of the above methods can be adopted and used once a week to guarantee your sinks don’t ever have to clog again.

Aside from using these methods, you could also avoid clogs by ensuring you never allow things like bones, oil/grease, banana, potato peels or the like into your drain. Don’t try to take on every issue you may encounter and think of these methods as maintenance and first aid only. If problems reoccur or become too complex for you, then it would be time to consult a professional.