It can hurt the toilet and soften/dissolve pipes— Drano uses caustic or oxidizing chemicals to create heat to unclog a drain. If Drano does not clear the toilet, this heat can crack the porcelain, soften PVC pipes and dissolve old, corroded pipes.
Simply flush 4 ounces of Drano® Max Build-Up Remover down the toilet for three consecutive days. Do this before leaving for work or going to bed, as it's best to avoid flushing your toilet for 6-8 hours after each treatment.
Using chemical drain cleaners (like Drano)
Most chemical drain cleaners clear your drain by breaking down the clog with a chemical reaction. The heat created by the chemical reaction can cause the porcelain in your throne to crack. And then you might need a whole new toilet… all because of some Drano.
It is Extremely Corrosive For Your Drains
When your pipes are clogged, Drano will sit on top of the clog, continually reacting and generating heat until the clog dissolves. This can put a great deal of stress on your drains as the heat can cause PVC pipes to soften and even break or collapse.
Bleach is an effective way to deal with blocked toilet drains as it is a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite and also contains a high chlorine concentration. Using bleach by itself or mixing it with boiling water are effective ways to unclog a toilet.
Several gentle pumps will usually work better than a couple of hard pushes. If your clog is going to come out, it should happen in less than 10 minutes. If not, it's time to move on to a snake or call a plumber.
If you need to kick the unclogging process up a notch, fetch some dish soap from the kitchen and squeeze a generous amount, about a 1/4 cup should do, into the toilet bowl. Let the soap sit for 5 to 10 minutes so it has time to move down the drain and reach the clog.
How to Tell if Your Toilet is Clogged. Signs that your toilet (or sewer line) is blocked include: The water does not flush properly, stays in the bowl for long periods or ends up overflowing over the top of the bowl. When the toilet is flushed, water starts to gurgle up in your shower or bathtub drain.
Along with gravity, this pressure helps remove unwanted goop out of the pipes and unclogs drains. Baking soda, vinegar and boiling water can help clean drains naturally, but you may need something stronger, like Liquid-Plumr, to fully unclog those really tough drain clogs.
While you can use a regular drain snake in a toilet, a closet auger, or toilet auger, is a type of drain snake specifically designed for use in a toilet. Its unique design and protective rubber coating allow it to maneuver through the tight S-bend in a toilet without damaging the porcelain.
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.
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 any of these things happen, you're going to be left with an inoperable plumbing system and costly repairs.
Corrosion
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. This can lead to cracks and leaks in the pipes, leading to various issues, including water damage and flooding.
The heat generated from this chemical reaction can crack the porcelain of the toilet or soften the PVC of the pipes. So, not only can Drano hurt you, but it can also hurt your toilet and cause costly damage.
You may be surprised to learn that pouring soda down the drain does work for some clogs. To be specific, you need a dark-colored cola (such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi). This type of carbonated beverage usually contains a good amount of phosphoric acid, which given enough time, can eat away at some types of clogs.
If you use bleach to clean a drain on a nonoperating unit will leave residual bleach, which will damage the drain pan and line as we stated before. Using vinegar for preventative maintenance throughout the year will keep not only keep your drain clean and clear, but it also will not damage your line.
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.
The most common cause of a toilet that doesn't drain properly is simply that it's clogged, which itself can happen for any number of reasons. Typically, using a plunger is enough to dislodge the clog and allow the water to drain properly. If that doesn't work, you may be dealing with a different issue. Venting issues.
Low water level is the most common reason for a slow draining toilet. The water being below the recommended level can cause the toilet to not flush correctly. This will vastly decrease the flushing power of your toilet. More water in the tank allows for more force being used to flush.