Best acidic drain cleaner 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.
For simple unclogging work, you can expect a professional plumber to clean your drains using a motorized drain auger (sometimes called a drain snake), which can take care of almost any size of obstruction within a drainpipe.
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.
Soap and hot water can be an effective Drano alternative to dissolve grease blockages. Pour roughly ½ to 1 cup of dish soap down the blocked drain. Following this, pour about a gallon of boiling water, taking care not to burn yourself. This combination should work to shift the clog if it's mainly made up of grease.
A lot of folks know the baking soda and vinegar trick. Simply pour some hot water down your clogged drain and follow it up with equal parts baking soda and vinegar (baking soda first), cover the drain with a plug if you have one, let it sit for 20-30 minutes, then follow it up with more hot water to clear the clog.
It is Extremely Corrosive For Your Drains
While it is dissolving your clog, Drano can also quickly eat away at the glue holding your pipes together, leading to a potentially costly leak.
Surprise! Coke or Pepsi are great for vanquishing a clog! Everyone's heard about how a nail will dissolve in a glass of coke over time, and although most of us know this is a stretch, coke is arguably better than many commercial chemical clog removers because of its strong dissolving agents!
Caustic soda, also known as sodium hydroxide, is another chemical that can help with drain cleaning and drain unblocking in any kitchen or bathroom and even in outside drains. It causes a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with organic matter in a clogged drain or slow drain.
When combined with the coat hanger method (see below) and hot water*, caustic soda can fix a grease clogged drain, provided the blockage isn't too bad in the first place. *The hot water should be poured down the sink after the caustic soda mixture has been used. Only mix caustic soda with cold water!
Motorized Augers
Basically, the motorized auger drills down into the center of the clog in a corkscrew-type fashion. The end of the auger lodges inside the obstruction in the drain, breaks it apart, then draws it back out.
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.
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.
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.
Most plumbers will advise you not to use Drano to unclog your drains. This is because the chemical compounds are hard on your pipes, causing corrosion and other long-term damages. Drano is designed to continually react and generate heat within your drain until the clog dissolves.
But it's also one of the most commonly misused products out there. Any plumber will advise against its use.
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.
It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain. Always flush this mixture down with boiling water—no matter how long you leave it sitting in the drain.
If you suspect a grease clog, a mixture of very hot water and vinegar can also help melt and remove the grease that's blocking the pipes. Allow it to work for a few minutes, then use a plunger to help move the clog along. You may have to repeat this more than once.
While hot water can help loosen up debris, coarse salt actually scours the inside of your pipes, removing more material than hot water alone. After removing standing water from the sink, pour about half a cup of table salt down the drain before you pour in the hot water.