Chemical Drain Cleaners: Unsafe at Any Speed

Let's face it: when your drain is clogged, your sink is unusable. You want to clear this up as quickly as possible, so you reach for that scary-looking commercial product -- the one that says it's dangerous for children, pets, and -- drains? Are you sure you really want to use that?

The Problem with Chemical Drain Cleaners

Most commercial drain cleaners are corrosive and caustic. Their main ingredients are usually aluminum and lye. When this combination contacts water, a violent reaction occurs, causing heat buildup and the release of hydrogen gas.

If left too long in your pipes, or used too often, chemical drain cleaners can damage your plumbing. Furthermore, the lye component alone is a serious irritant that can burn your skin. If your child or pet should swallow lye, it will burn his throat, cause chest and abdominal pain, and lead to vomiting. And that's the best-case scenario!

A Better Way to Drain Your Drain

Why use these products at all, when there are greener, cleaner ways to get your drain to drain? Here are some "green" solutions to try, instead:

Screwdriver

You may feel like having one right about now, but I'm talking about the other kind. If the clog is high enough in the drain, poking around with a screwdriver or a wire clothes hanger might break it up enough to solve your problem. Remove the drain cover, and have at it.

Plunger

This is the next thing to try. Just place the plunger over the drain hole, making sure that you've got an airtight seal. Now push down slowly, then pull up quickly. Repeat these two movements until the drain runs free.

Snake

If the plunger doesn't do it for you, it's time to advance to the snake. Also called drain augers, these are made for toilets and sinks, so be sure you've got the right one.

Feed the business end a short distance into the pipe, and rotate a few times. Keep feeding and rotating until the snake has gone as far as it's going to go. After you've removed it from the drain, chances are the water will flow right through.

Baking Soda and Vinegar, Followed by Boiling Water

If you haven't got the energy to mess with a plunger or snake, here's something less strenuous to try. Heat a cup of vinegar in the microwave until it's good and hot. Now pour a cup of baking soda directly into the drain, and follow immediately with the cup of hot vinegar.

Let the whole thing sit for about five minutes while you boil up a pot of water. When the five minutes are up, pour the boiling water down the drain. You may need to repeat a few times.

Enzymatic Biological Drain Cleaners

The mixture of enzymes and bacteria in this type of drain cleaner offers a green way of breaking up the clog without harming your pipes, your kids, or your dog. The enzymatic products will not burn, will not damage your plumbing, and will not generate heat buildup. Each product will has its own instructions for use, so do what it says on the label.

Stop Drain Clog Before it Starts

Once your drains are running again, a bit of simple maintenance will keep them flowing free. Those little wire mesh drain covers work wonders in keeping foreign matter from ever entering your drain. They come in various sizes to fit your every drain, and you can sometimes even find them in the dollar store!

If you've already purchased the enzymatic cleaners, try using them once a month as a preventative measure. Some plumbers recommend this. If you don't have the enzymatics on hand, try regularly pouring boiling water down your drains, instead.

This is Your Drain Off Drugs

Color him happy! When it comes to keeping your drains in shape, the green solution wins every time. Give one of these earth-friendly remedies a try. Mother Earth and your pipes will thank you!

Sources:

Ask a Scientist: "Aluminum Combustion"

Drains and Plumbing: "How to Use a Plunger for Toilet and Sink Drain Repair"

Do it Yourself: "Unclogging a Drain"