Drano can build up in a clogged area, and corrode the pipe. With repeated use, these chemicals may eat their way through a pipe, and cause a leak or a collapse of the system. Homeowners and plumbers should avoid repeated use of chemical cleaners.
It is Extremely Corrosive For Your Drains
While it is dissolving your clog, Drano can also quickly eat away at the glue holding your pipes together, leading to a potentially costly leak.
Drano is not only ineffective, but it's also extremely damaging to your plumbing system. The heat created by the chemical reaction is more than your drains are designed to take. Corroded, aging plumbing can easily breakdown. Pipes can split and the glue holding them together can disintegrate.
NOPE. Drano® will not damage pipes or plumbing. Drano® products are powerful enough to dissolve nasty clogs, but they will not harm your plastic or metal pipes, so there's no need to worry. In fact, Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover contains a special ingredient that prevents pipe corrosion.
The harmful chemicals in Drano can end up being corrosive to your pipes. Drano has been known to cause toilet bowls to crack, soften and break PVC pipes and break older corroded pipes. Over time, the continued usage of Drano can lead your pipes to corrode, crack and eventually fail.
Using a snake is also more invasive and time-consuming than using a chemical cleaner is, and can often become a dirty job. When it comes to getting at and removing major clogs or clogs that are deep down in your pipes, however, a plumber's snake is your best bet.
Some of the best Drano alternatives include using a plunger or pipe snake, soap or salt mixed with boiling water, or baking soda and white vinegar. Also, for maximum effectiveness, you can combine several of these methods together to get rid of the clog.
Although plumbing chemicals like Drano are designed to break up clogs and clear your pipes, they often make a clog worse for homeowners.
Sulfuric acid is slightly less damaging to metal plumbing but can still damage aluminum, stainless steel and porcelain. These chemical cleaners should be used as a last resort—and only by a professional. All Drano® products are safe and can be used with plastic pipes or metal pipes.
Simply put, Liquid-Plumr and Drano are not designed for frequent use. Because of the chemicals found in these types of products, you could cause irreparable damage to your pipes.
Most plumbers will advise you not to use Drano to unclog your drains. This is because the chemical compounds are hard on your pipes, causing corrosion and other long-term damages. Drano is designed to continually react and generate heat within your drain until the clog dissolves.
Even if you use only use Drano once, the potential for bad things to happen to your plumbing system lingers for a long time. Because of its corrosive nature, Drano can cause toilet bowls to crack, PVC pipes to melt or break and the glue that holds pipes together can be eaten away.
If plunging made no difference, try pouring 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. Let the mixture bubble and fizz for at least 30 minutes. Then, pour a kettle of boiling water directly down the drain.
Drano Max Gel Drain Clog Remover
That's why the Drano Max Gel is my tried and true. I always have a bottle of this on hand because it is efficient and effective, clearing away most if not all common blockages.
When Drano won't go down the drain, grab a plunger instead. Many people think that these are only good for toilets. However, they can create suction that can dislodge your clog. Make sure that you get a plunger that can seal all the way around your drain.
Drano is a corrosive. It eats away at grease build ups in you pipes. But as a corrosive it can , And does also eat away at your pipes. Using it once every few months is not too bad But using it often will create issues with your pipes.
Does this particular clog seem bust-up proof? If standing water remains, use Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover. It pours straight through the water and attacks the clog directly.
Best Eco-Friendly Drain Cleaner
If that's what you're looking for, then Biokleen's Bac-Out Drain Care Gel is an easy choice. Instead of harsh chemicals, this gel cleaner is formulated with natural enzymes that are still tough enough to break down build-up and dissolve moderate clogs—all without damaging your pipes.
With time, baking soda and vinegar may work as a natural drain cleaner on weaker drain clogs, and the benefits of regular drain cleaning can help keep your drains free of clogs. But for tough drain clogs that need to be dissolved right away, you may want to use a stronger drain cleaner, like Liquid-Plumr.
Homemade drain cleaner can break up even the toughest clogs in your sink. Baking soda, vinegar and Dawn dish soap along with boiling water can safely unclog a drain.
In addition to the pipes, leaving Drano in the drain for too long can damage the plumbing fixtures. This includes the sink, shower, bathtub, and other plumbing fixtures connected to the drain. These fixtures can become corroded and discolored and can start to show signs of wear and tear.
Baking soda and white vinegar are sustainable substitutions for Drano. Most people have these items in their pantry at any given time. 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.
Baking soda and vinegar may unclog your drain better than Drano ever could. Start by getting rid of the standing water in your drain. If it will go down slowly, just wait until it's gone. If it isn't moving, use a cup or a spoon to get it out of there.