Cola-style soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which gives the beverages that distinct tang people love. It also helps prevent the growth of mold and bacteria in the sugary liquid. Phosphoric acid is definitely an effective drain cleaner, and don't worry – it isn't as toxic as it sounds.
Cola might be somewhat effective under these conditions: Your drain is really, really clogged: Cola needs a long time to work, so the cola has to be able to penetrate the clog for long periods of time. If your drain is only partially clogged, the soda will just pass through the pipe without any effect.
Use a DIY mixture of equal parts baking soda and vinegar to unclog the drain. Pour the solution into the basket at the bottom. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Finish by pouring hot water down the basket and running the rinse cycle.
Why? Baking soda is a base while vinegar is an acid, their chemical reaction produces water with a tiny amount of salt in it, not a fat destroying drain cleaner. Plus vinegar and baking soda are not surfactants, so they do not help water carry oil and grease away the same way that detergents can.
Coca Cola is much less powerful than any of the commercial drain clearing products you can buy - and they are designed to go down drains. Coke will have no effect whatsoever on the drain - and probably not much of an effect on the blockage.
Plumbers unanimously encourage homeowners not to use Drano due to its corrosive nature. The chemicals in Drano can erode not only the clogged material causing the blockage but will also quickly eat away at the metal plumbing pipes themselves, causing more harm than good.
Properties and Uses: Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a highly corrosive acid used extensively by plumbers to clear severe clogs. It reacts rapidly with organic materials in drains, breaking them down into simpler compounds that can be easily flushed away.
Heat 2 or 4 liters of water on your stove or in a kettle to just short of boiling. Add about 1/2 cup of salt. Try pouring this down the drain, then wait 15 minutes before seeing if it will clear more easily. If you need a stronger cleaning, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar.
If the dishwasher is not draining, you may try forcing it. Hold down the “cancel” button for about three seconds, or the time your model's instructions indicate.
Pour a half cup of baking soda into your drain with a half cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for about thirty minutes, then pour in boiling water. The chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar will break down the clog, much like Drano, and the water will flush it out.
A lot of folks know the baking soda and vinegar trick. Simply pour some hot water down your clogged drain and follow it up with equal parts baking soda and vinegar (baking soda first), cover the drain with a plug if you have one, let it sit for 20-30 minutes, then follow it up with more hot water to clear the clog.
Cola Drain Cleaner Trick
Allow a two-liter bottle of soda to come to room temperature. Pour the entire bottle down the clogged drain. Allow it to sit in the drain for at least an hour or two (or even up to 24 hours for stubborn clogs). Flush drain with boiling water.
By pouring a caustic soda (coke, for example) into the toilet bowl, you can speed the dissolving process along considerably. Simply dump a can of cola in the water and let it eat away at the debris. Just be sure never to flush the toilet when the water level is already high.
For best results, start by squirting a little dish soap into your drain, followed by a cup of vinegar and a cup of baking soda. Wait five minutes or so, for the chemical reaction of the vinegar and baking soda to take effect, then chase that with a cup or more of boiling water.
Another option for dissolving hair in a drain is to use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. This mixture will create a chemical reaction that will break down the hair.
To make a drain snake, all you need is a wire coat hanger that you can unwind and straighten. Bend the end of the wire into a hook shape and insert it into the drain. Move it around until you feel resistance and then pull out any hair or debris that may be blocking the drain.
Drain snakes also called drain rooters or augers, use a long cable with a spiral-shaped head.
Use Croc Crete to Remove Hardened Cement
This is the best method of removing hardened concrete from a drainage system. Croc Crete is a cement softener that attacks concrete at its core. It transforms cement back to its liquid form, allowing you to work it through the drain.
Yes, hydrogen peroxide is safe to use for unclogging a drain. It will dissolve and loosen natural matter—like skin cells—stuck in the pipes. Hydrogen peroxide also reduces germs and disinfects the drain, helping it smell fresher and clean.
Chemical cleaners can eat away at your pipes, and boiling water can melt important components. Over time, this damage can lead to leaks and expensive plumbing repairs.
When Drano is left in the drain for too long, it can cause corrosion of the pipes. The chemicals in the product are designed to break own the clog, but if left for too long, they can start to break down the pipes themselves.