If your drain is clogged with hair, baking soda can dissolve hair in a drain. To try this safe and easy method at home – first, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar (white vinegar) down. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes.
Septic-Safe Method #1: Unclogging a Drain with Boiling Water
Very often, small clogs in pipes can be cleared by slowly pouring boiling water down the drain. This method works especially well on clogs caused by grease, soap, or even small clumps of hair.
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.
Hydrochloric acid dissolves hair but it's dangerous if you haven't been trained in its use. Bleach also dissolves hair and is much safer. But why do you need to dissolve hair for a garden?
Hair contains proteins which the bacteria in your septic tank cannot break down. Human hair can take hundreds of years to break down.
Because of this, hair is not broken down for months within septic tank, pipes, and the septic system drainfield. Because of the complex nature, hair will not deteriorate for hundreds of years in a suitable environment. There are many of human remains being exhumed after hundreds of years and the body hair is present.
Paper towels are designed to withstand even the worst messes in your home. They're advertised as being able to hold up quarters, even when the towel is wet. Paper towels do not break down in water, which means they will never break down in your septic system.
The Santeen Sulfuric Acid Drain Opener proved to be the most potent among all the chemical drain cleaners we tested, effectively dissolving 80% of the hair, 80% of the organic matter, 40% of the grease and 76% of the paper products.
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. Mix equal parts baking soda and vinegar and pour it down the drain to use this method.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
A common ingredient in shampoos, it strips the hair of essential proteins and oil. This results in slower hair growth, breakage or hair loss.
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.
An acid-based drain cleaner is a powerful solution that utilizes concentrated blends of either sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to dissolve and remove stubborn blockages in plumbing systems. Sulfuric acid-based cleaners effectively break down organic materials like food, grease, and hair.
The fizzing reaction and gas created may help loosen some small blockages. However, it is not typically strong enough to break down larger clogs or remove hard-to-reach debris. As a result of the above facts, if you have a serious drain clog, using baking soda and vinegar is unlikely to be effective.
If your drain is clogged with hair, baking soda can dissolve hair in a drain. To try this safe and easy method at home – first, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar (white vinegar) down. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes.
Bacterial microorganisms break down the waste inside a septic tank which can then be safely redistributed or disposed of.
Baking soda and vinegar are safe and effective cleaners for your household drains and, best yet, they are 100% safe for your septic tank and drain field. Bleach and ammonia-based cleaners (i.e. most of the cleaning aisle at the big-box stores) can be harmful to the good bacteria in your septic tank.
Thanks to its strong oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide can effectively break down organic materials such as hair. This makes it a powerful option for clearing hair clogs in your drains.
Apple cider vinegar is acidic, which is why it balances the pH levels of the scalp and hair. The optimal pH range for hair is between 4 and 5. But using some poor-quality products may alter it and their high alkalinity can cause friction, breakage, and dryness.
Enzymatic cleaners, baking soda, vinegar, and hot water are natural options for dissolving hair without using harsh chemicals.
Fortunately, there are drain cleaners available that are specifically designed to be safe for septic systems. These products, such as those from brands like Green Gobbler and Bio-Clean, are formulated to unclog drains without disrupting the bacterial balance in your septic tank.
Drano® Clog Removers can unclog a drain fast. They contain ingredients chemicals that quickly dissolve hair, soap scum and gunk. You can use Drano® Clog Removers to unclog a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower or clogged bathtub, but DO NOT use them in toilets.
For maintenance, pour about 1 gallon of boiling water down the drain weekly. Pour ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup vinegar down drain. Close drain tightly until fizzing stops. Flush with one gallon boiling water.
Use a Septic System Additive
Waste & Grease Eco-Friendly Digestant makes it easy to maintain a clean and sanitized home environment as well as a healthy bacteria population in your septic tank. Monthly use of Waste & Grease Eco-Friendly Digestant will help reduce surface and bottom solids in the septic tank.
You can replenish good bacteria in your septic tank by adding three rotten tomatoes or 1/4 ounce of yeast every three months. Put three overripe tomatoes in the garbage disposal while running the faucet. Or pour 1/4 ounce of yeast in the toilet and flush it down.