NOPE. Drano® will not damage pipes or plumbing. Drano® products are powerful enough to dissolve nasty clogs, but they will not harm your plastic or metal pipes, so there's no need to worry.
Over time, the continued usage of Drano can lead your pipes to corrode, crack and eventually fail. Dangerous for your skin, eyes and lungs: Since Drano's purpose is to dissolve organic tissues, if Drano comes into contact with your bare skin, eyes, or mouth, it can cause rashes and even burns if left too long.
Too much drain cleaner can cause your pipes to corrode and in the case of mixing various products, sometimes even cause chemical reactions that produce heat or toxic gases that can be dangerous to you and the environment.
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.
Reuse every four weeks. To help prevent toilet clogs in the future, you can safely use Drano® Max Build-Up Remover monthly.
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.
To prevent backups, add Drano® Max Build-Up Remover to your monthly routine. One flush once a month can help prevent septic backups!
Drano is not often a cure-all and can be harmful because of the chemicals. If you have a minor clog, use baking soda and vinegar to fix it. Allow all the standing water to drain before starting the process. Once that is gone, pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar.
For preventive drain cleaning, you can use Drano® Max Build-Up Remover in drains, toilets and even septic systems. Apply Drano® Max Build-Up Remover overnight or before you go to work, then wait 6 to 8 hours before running warm (not hot) water down treated drains or flushing treated toilets.
Look in Your Kitchen Pantry
If it isn't moving, use a cup or a spoon to get it out of there. Then, put 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar down the drain and let it sit there for 30 minutes. When the time is up, run warm water down the drain and see if the clog is gone.
Chemical drain cleaners can sometimes eat away at metal pipes. Using the substance once to break down a clog is usually safe. However, using a drain cleaner multiple times can slowly begin to break down a pipe. Most pipes cannot withstand several uses of a drain cleaner due to their chemicals.
Drano didn't work in the bathtub, so was it safe to shower? If water has been moving through the drain, even slowly then the drain cleaning chemical has probably been rinsed through. If you fill the tub and allow it time to drain there shouldn't be enough chemical left to harm you.
Option #1: Baking Soda and Cider Vinegar
Baking soda is actually one of the most common alternative drain cleaners! It's also very effective for routine maintenance and doesn't take long at all to prepare. For the best effect, mix a cup of baking soda with a cup of cider vinegar. Pour it down the drain with hot water.
Chemicals are Hard on Plumbing
Additionally, when used in toilets, Drano can end up sitting in the bowl for a while and may seep into the porcelain causing cracks or even explosions, in the most extreme cases. Occasional use is okay, but repeated use can lead to much deeper problems than a clog.
Drano is considered safe to use so long as no bleach is present in the drain, anytime it is used. Every day if you want, but it would be a waste.
Yes, it is possible for drain cleaners to end up making a clog worse. This can happen for a few reasons. First, the chemicals in drain cleaners can corrode pipes and cause damage over time. This can lead to leaks or even bursting, which can make a clog worse by creating additional blockages.
Single Use, Not Frequent Use
Simply put, Liquid-Plumr and Drano are not designed for frequent use. Because of the chemicals found in these types of products, you could cause irreparable damage to your pipes.
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.
Drano® Liquid Drain Cleaner starts working to unclog your drain on contact. After 15 to 30 minutes, clogs are substantially minimized or dissolved. A final blast of hot water flushes away what's left of the clog.
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!
While the baking soda and vinegar solution is effective in breaking down a clog, it will also cause your drain to become more damaged. The baking soda's abrasive nature will wear down your drain over time. This is why you should avoid using baking soda and vinegar solution for cleaning out your drain.
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. If you don't have the tools or the time to perform the work yourself, hire a plumber who can get it done quickly and correctly.
Baking soda and white vinegar are sustainable substitutions for Drano. Most people have these items in their pantry at any given time. Pour a half cup of baking soda into your drain with a half cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for about thirty minutes, then pour in boiling water.
A monthly cleaning will allow you to use safe cleaning methods which will save you time, energy and money in the long term. Combine 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of very hot water, and 1 half cup of baking soda and pour the mixture down the drain.
No! Draino is mostly just lye, a very strong base, while vinegar is dilute acetic acid. Vinegar and lye will react immediately releasing heat. If most of the Draino hasn't been rinsed from the drain liquid is likely to come shooting back up at you.