When a bathroom or kitchen drain becomes clogged many homeowners will reach for a commercial drain cleaner to clear the clog. While chemical drain cleaning products can be very effective at removing grease, hair and other organic material, they can be hazardous to your health and damage your plumbing if not used in a safe manner.
Chemical drain cleaners often contain chemicals such as lye, sodium hydroxide or sodium nitrate. Many of these chemicals can cause severe burns and blindness and must be handled with extreme care.
Enzyme Drain Cleaners
One safe and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical drain cleaners are enzymatic drain cleaners. Natural bacteria or enzymes are put into the drain to feed on hair, food waste and other organic material. These living organisms multiply inside the pipe and gradually clean the clog away. While not as fast acting as chemical cleaners, they are generally not harmful to people.
Home-made Drain Cleaner
Another way to safely clean out a drain is to use vinegar and baking soda.
Step 1 – pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain.
Step 2 – pour half a cup of vinegar.
Step 3 – Wait 15 minutes
Step 4 – pour in hot tap water.
An alternative method is to mix equal parts salt, vinegar and baking soda. Pour the mixture into the drain. Wait one hour, and then pour in hot water.
Water Jetting
If you have a stubborn drain clog and don’t want to bother with chemical or enzyme-based cleaners, water jetting is a good option. Water-jetting is a safe and effective way to scour the inside of drain pipes to remove all the residue that snaking and rodding can leave behind.
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