Just like cooking oil, bleach is one of those things you shouldn't pour into your sink. You should also never use bleach to unclog your drains. Doing so can even burst your drain pipes, and you'll be left with a nasty and expensive mess.
No. Bleach is a very powerful and toxic substance, so you need to take particular caution in what you apply it to – pouring bleach down a drain does not constitute a proper use. Bleach has the potential to react with other substances in plumbing and pipework, and could end up causing further clogging of the system.
To use bleach to kill odor-causing bacteria, first, fill your sink with hot water. Then, add about one cup of regular household bleach to the sink. After you've added the bleach, allow the sink to drain. Repeat the process until the drain smells more like bleach than anything else.
Diluted bleach can be poured down a drain (sparingly).
When pouring bleach down drains for disposal, you'll need to keep this same principle in mind. It can be done (in most cases), but you must always dilute the bleach with a lot of water.
Although you can use 1/5 to 3/4 of a cup of bleach to clean and deodorize drains, followed by a good flushing of hot water, it will not clear a clog. Bleach is amazing at sanitizing and killing germs, but it won't eat through hair and soap scum that's trapped in the pipes and causing a clog.
Bleach vapor can be harmful if it is inhaled, whereas vinegar is more annoying than a danger. Vinegar is definitely the easier of the two to rinse out of the drain line.
Preventative Maintenance
Pouring bleach into the drain when the unit is not operating can leave residual bleach, which will damage the drain pan and line. Using vinegar for preventative maintenance throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line.
While certain cleaners may not be compatible with PVC piping, bleach is usually safe to use in most applications, as long as it's used properly.
Once you're done with your leftover hair bleach, Ideally, the best way to dispose of bleach is to take it to your local hazardous waste disposal center. These facilities are usually found near most major cities and are set up to handle harmful chemicals.
Leave the sink alone for about 30 minutes; do not turn on the water. Waiting allows the bleach to fully penetrate without being washed away too quickly. Let the smell of the bleach disappear entirely and then see if the foul odor persists. If it does, try pouring another cup of bleach down the sink in the same manner.
Once a week, pour a large pot of boiling water down kitchen and bath drains. Sprinkle baking soda down all of your sink and shower drains every week to absorb odors. If you have a kitchen garbage disposal, run it for 20 seconds every time food goes down the drain.
To do so, pour a little dry baking soda into the affected drain. Then, slowly add vinegar until all the baking soda reacts. Keep running small amounts of vinegar into the drain until you don't hear any bubbling and your drains smell fresh and clean.
White Vinegar and Baking Soda
All you got to do is run hot water for a few seconds and pour one or two cups of baking soda down the drain plug hole. And then add a couple of cups of hot vinegar. Let it foam up and wait for an hour or two. Flush it through using hot water.
If the P-trap isn't working properly, sewer gasses can make their way into the bathroom and cause your sink to stink. Your sink should also have a vent that gives backflowing gases somewhere to go. If the sewer smell in your sink is caused by a blocked air vent, you may need professional assistance.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.
Clogged drains are unpleasant and can smell bad. Hydrogen peroxide may already be in your medicine cabinet, and it is gentle enough to use in your pipes. If you notice your sink draining sluggishly, you can reach for a bottle of hydrogen peroxide instead of a more expensive chemical drain cleaner.
Secondly, avoid scrubbing your skin rigorously after bleaching and leave out the area around your eyes and lips. Thirdly, avoid stepping out in the sun after bleaching your face as bleach tends to make your skin more susceptible to sun damage.
Diluting Hair Bleach
You can also choose to flush the bleach down the toilet. However, only do this for small amounts of bleach. You also need to flush twice or thrice to make sure it is completely diluted. Please only do this if you are unable to reuse or donate as this will still harm aquatic life.
Household Chemicals
You may permanently damage your septic system. Bleach and cleaning fluids create toxic gasses when mixed together. If you pour bleach and other cleaning agents down your sink drains, and they mix in your pipes, you can contaminate the air in your home with the resulting gas created.
Yes, it is corrosive to plastic. It does not eat up the plastic in one go (we are assuming you are using the diluted bleach or bleach water as the cleaning agent), but the damage it would create is definite.
Unlike chemical drain cleaners, hydrogen peroxide won't destroy your pipes and drains. It is safe for regular use so you can do a hydrogen peroxide flush once every few weeks to keep your drains and pipes in good shape. However, for more complicated issues, it is always better to call your plumber.
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.
Best Overall
In just 15 minutes, our pick for the best drain cleaner, Drano Max Gel, will clear up clogs in sinks, tubs, PVC, septic tanks, and garbage disposals. It's safe for piping and septic systems, with a thick gel that sinks into standing water to the source of the clog.
Pour one cup of bleach down your drain line every month to help keep it free from clogs. One cup of bleach is the cheapest and easiest way to unclog the drain line in your AC. Be sure not to use any other type of chemical, as other chemicals could have a negative reaction with the bleach.