Yes, the heat these chemicals produce will break down the remnants of a clog, but likely only push them farther down your system to form a more dense clog in a harder-to-reach section of your plumbing. This leads to repeat clog offenses, repeat pouring, and the eventual ruin of your plumbing system.
Use ½-1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar, plus a bit of water if you want to dilute things a little bit more. Pour it down the drain and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Sometimes, this mixture can break up clogs that even Drano can't touch!
I have standing water. What do I do? Try Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover. It is a gel formulated thick enough to easily pour through water straight to the clog, dissolving it fast.
The chemicals in Drano may not solve all clogs, and they can lead to a worsening of pipe issues. 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.
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.
Just pour a small amount of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of white vinegar. As the baking soda and vinegar start to work, you will hear a fizzing noise. Leave for a few minutes, and use hot water to wash the mixture down the drain. Another method is to use soda crystals to unblock the sink.
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.
For extremely slow-running drains or complete clogs, pour in entire contents of 32 oz. bottle. Allow to work for 15 minutes. For tough problems, allow 30 minutes.
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.
If you have a slow flow drain, wait 15 minutes before flushing with water. If you have an especially difficult clog, you can safely let the product sit overnight.
Not only will it not fix your clog, but it will actually make it worse. Over time, drano can harden and become like cement. This will eventually require much more expensive repairs. It is recommended to use a camera and a snake to attack the cause of the clog.
Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Place a rubber stopper or other sink hole cover over the drain opening. Wait 15 minutes to allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain, Then take out the drain cover and run hot tap water down the drain to clear the clog.
One way to unclog a pipe is to use a larger wire snake. These snakes are more powerful, longer, and often feature more aggressive tips for breaking the clog up or hooking it for removal. Simply feed the wire snake through the drain, and continue advancing it until the clog is clear.
Using Drano once or twice is nothing to be too concerned about, and it likely won't cause damage to your pipes. However, if you find that a clog is showing up repeatedly, this can be a sign of deeper plumbing issues that should be addressed by a professional.
Clogs can also be caused by buildup in the third, lateral section of the pipe. Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover is effective on these clog types as well. Keep some on hand for its reliable clog-busting power!
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.
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.
Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a strong acid that is commonly used to dissolve clogs in drains. This acid works by breaking down organic materials such as hair, grease, and soap scum that can accumulate in pipes and cause blockages.
If the water is still not draining correctly, there might be a blockage in the P-trap, aka the elbow-shaped pipe under your sink. Food, grease and other debris may be stuck in the pipe, causing your sink to drain slowly or not at all because the water hits a snag on its way down.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
After a time, if this is not resolved, the water will begin to back up and drainage may eventually stop altogether. Therefore, the sooner that you can unclog your sink, the better.
Single Use, Not Frequent Use
Because of the chemicals found in these types of products, you could cause irreparable damage to your pipes. In most cases, a single use of Liquid-Plumr or Drano will not cause any issues with your pipes, though you should avoid using them in your toilet.
Allow to work for 15 minutes. For tough problems, allow 30 minutes.