Tips & Cautions

Drain cleaning, especially with some of the more powerful chemical solutions available on the shelf, can be very dangerous! Contact with skin or eyes, breathing in the chemicals, and accidental swallowing (keep it out of your mouth to begin with!) can all be extremely dangerous! Be very cautious when handling drain cleaners and be sure to wear protective clothing and eyewear, and have proper ventilation, as recommended by the manufacturer. Try a little preventative maintenance with your drains. Avoid pouring grease and other thick, hardening liquids in your drains. Regular pipe maintenance can also help lessen the number of clogged drains you experience!

 

It is very important to use a drain cleaner that is compatible with your pipes. The heat generated by chemical drain cleaners may soften plastic (PVC) pipes and damage old, corroded pipes.  Acid drain cleaners can corrode or etch stainless steel, damage aluminum fixtures, and can crack porcelain. If a chemical drain cleaner does not remove the obstruction in the piping system, it could remain in your pipes un-reacted. If missed with another type of drain cleaning product, a severe reaction could occur cause splatter or eruption from the drain. You can minimize the possible reactions by adding water slowly and carefully to the caustic and acid mixtures of drain cleaners.

 

It is important to recognize that drain cleaners are potentially very dangerous! Follow instructions very carefully, wear protective clothing, eyewear, gloves, be cautious about your piping systems, and be aware when mixing different types of chemical solutions. The best overall “solution” when deciding which drain cleaning method is best for you, is a nice, big dose of common sense! Most of us had enough high school science to know that mishandled chemicals can be extremely dangerous! Be careful, be alert, and be smart when cleaning your drains!