What Is a Good Drain Cleaner for Drainage Pipes? 

Drainage pipes often get blocked due to which, people have to look for an answer to what is a good drain cleaner. There can be many reasons behind this problem, but the carelessness of homeowners surpasses all the other causes.

If preventive measures not taken, the problem can cause water overflow and flood in your house. Therefore, it must rectify the question through proper methods at the earliest stages.

Reasons behind a Clogged Drain:

A clogged drain is quite a common problem among households. Kitchen, toilets and other rooms with washbasin, often suffer from the aftereffects of drain clogging. Generally, it is considered a minor issue, but it may lead to severe damages if it not controlled in time. It is necessary to find the actual reason, and for that, you need to look for what is a good drain cleaner.

The major causes of a clogged drain are as follows:

• Food Items:

Kitchen sink often gets blocked due to irresponsible behaviour. It is always preferred to throw away excess food items before attempting to wash dishes. If this practice not followed, bits of food items deposit in drain pipes, and eventually you will have to find an answer to what is a good drain cleaner. As a consequence, the flow of water considerably decreased, and the drainpipe entirely blocked after some time. Do the dishes in a dishwasher after throwing away substantial food items.

• Other Solid Items:

Bathroom washbasins suffer mainly due to throwing items that cannot be dissolved or broken down in the water. Cotton products, towels, swabs, dental floss, diapers and certain hygiene products often tossed down the drainage pipes. Large enough items cannot pass through the lines and get stuck in between. The water flow decreases and wholly stopped when the stuck things are completely soaked. Removing these items requires a lot of efforts.

• Hair:

Many people lose a lot of hair when washing them. The hair stuck in drain pipes and caused severe troubles. After combing hair, people sometimes tend to throw them in washbasin instead of throwing away in a dustbin. Its practice leads to a blockage of pipes. If broken hair is collected and thrown in a dustbin, you can be saved from many hassles, and need not worry about finding what a good drain cleaner is.

• Oils and Grease:

Oil commonly used in cooking. Excess fats and oil deposited on the sides of dishes. When did the words with water, the oil contents are removed from containers and get deposited inside pipes? Even hot water is not sufficient for cleaning it. It becomes solid after water is passed through it, and blocks pipes completely. Fats, oils and grease collectively referred to as FOG. It problem rarely occurs in homes, but you will have to look for what is a good drain cleaner if the issue remains.

• Soaps:

Certain soaps and washing products have an oily nature and can block drainage pipes due to oil deposition. The soap itself is not much harmful, but it becomes the root cause of blockage when combined with skin flakes, dirt and hair. It slowly affects the performance of drain pipes. Day by day, more and more amount of soap and accompanying impurities is accumulated and blocks the water path when the quantity increases.

• Lack of Venting:

Proper venting is necessary to ensure that water flows freely through the drain pipes. For instance, take water in a glass and put a straw in it. If a finger placed at its open end, then water cannot flow through the straw due to the vacuum. The same problem occurs with drain pipes when enough venting methods are not maintained. To increase the flow of water, make sure that air can pass through it. Does enough venting save you from asking others what a good drain cleaner is?

• Main Line Clogs:

If clogging occurs in multiple sinks or washbasins at a time, then the problem is with the main sewerage line. Tree roots spread around the house are the primary cause of blocking the mainline. These roots are quite strong and break old concrete pipes in an attempt to find water. Moreover, the waste items from your home pipes are deposited into this mainline and affect the flow of water. Then, you have to ask people, what is a good drain cleaner?

• Defected Pipes:

The use of low-quality pipes is a significant reason behind clogging in drain pipes. Improper structure with too little or too deep slope also causes water to flow down quickly while leaving behind waste products. Old concrete pipes divided into three sections. These sections joined together to ensure a smooth flow of water. However, the construction of the area around the house can damage the structure. Moving their place can also result in blockage if they did not place inline.

Tips to Prevent Drain Clogging:

Cleaning drain pipes is a nasty task. It recommended acting upon the following tips to avoid clogged drains in the first place.

• Always throw away excess food items when doing the dishes. Use a drain strainer to avoid making mistakes that will lead to the question, what is a good drain cleaner?
• Carefully pick FOG from words and let it cool down. After it has gained a tangible form, transfer it to a sealed jar and throw it away or save it for other uses.
• Wash the sink with hot water once the dishwashing does. Its practice helps in liquefying oily constituents and keep the sink clean for water passage.
• Pour hot water down the drain every week. Make sure that it does slowly, and no splashing caused. Throw away coffee grounds, fruit skin and eggshells, safely in a dust bin. These are the primary reasons why you get worried about what is a good drain cleaner.
• Maintain a steady flow of water while doing the dishes. Water takes away waste materials with it and ensures that the pipe not blocked due to these items.
• Remove drain stopper after regular intervals or thorough cleaning. Remove dust particles, hair and other impurities deposited near it.
• Wash clothes carefully and make sure that no clothing items pass through the drainage pipes. Use a drain screen as a precautionary measure to block substantial items from going down the line.
• Don’t flush paper towels, tissue paper or other similar products in the drain. Excess amount of these items can lead to the blocking of pipes.
• Should never throw down paint, thinner and paint removal products the tubes. Otherwise, you will have to worry about what is a good drain cleaner.
• Acquire professional services for regular inspection of drainage pipes and lines.

How to Clean a Clogged Drain?

What is a good drain cleaner? It is a common question that is often asked by people. There are many reasons due to which a drain might get clogged. Choosing the right cleaning approach is possible only by finding the root cause of the issue.

If you are worried about what is a good drain cleaner, can use the following methods for cleaning clogged drainage pipes:

• Boiling Water:

Hot, boiling water is the easiest and effective method for dealing with stubborn drain clogs. Boil water on a stove or electric kettle in large quantity and pour it down the blocked pipe slowly. Pour it in two to three stages. And give a break of a few minutes between each set. It breaks allows hot water to do its work and take away the chunks that had clogged the drain. It is a suitable answer to what is a good drain cleaner.

• Plunger:

Plungers are readily available at hardware stores. Clean the area near the sink to ensure that splashing water does not affect any essential things. Place the plunger at the opening of the pipe and give it a good plunging for a few minutes. It will clear stuck food particles from the sink drain pipe and will clean the path to allow water to flow smoothly. It will help you with what is a good drain cleaner.

• Bent Wire Hook:

Take a long enough straight piece of wire and bend its one end to give it the shape of a hook. Start fishing for the stuck items to clean the pipe. Its method can efficiently remove hair, solid particles and other gunk. Keep in mind that the purpose of It method is to pull up the substances rather than shoving them down the drain once you have successfully cleared enough of the stuck items, open tap to pass water. Hot water can also use to clear out the remaining particles effectively.

• Salt with Water:

Salt is most useful for drain pipes clogged due to FOG. Boil approximately 2 litres of water and add half a cup of salt in water. Pour this mixture slowly down the line. Salt is capable of melting grease deposited on the sides of the pipe. It will clean the gunk and will make room for easy flow of water. The process needs to repeat multiple times until the desired results obtained. Salt is beneficial but takes more time due to low reactive nature.

• Salt with Baking Soda:

Take almost half a cup of salt and combine it with the same quantity of baking Soda. Leave the mixture for 10 to 20 minutes, and then boil water in a kettle. Pour water down the drain slowly. It will start a chemical reaction among all three components, and the blocked pipe will be clean from the clogging. It is a sufficient answer to what is a good drain cleaner.

• Baking Soda with Vinegar:

Baking Soda and vinegar is an effective combination for dealing with the problem of what is a good drain cleaner. Take half a cup of baking Soda and the same quantity of vinegar.

Siphon it down the drain and cover the drainage pipe for a chemical reaction. Fill the sink with water, let it rest, and remove the cover after around an hour. The mixture loosens the grip of grease from the pipe, while a large quantity of water will effectively force it down the drainage pipe.

• Caustic Soda:

Caustic soda also referred to as Sodium Hydroxide. It is a dangerous product that can cause chemical burns. Put on rubber gloves along with eye protection to keep yourself safe. Take an almost three-fourth gallon of water and add 3 cups of caustic soda to the water bucket. Use a wooden spoon to mix it. Pour it down the clogged drain and leave it for half an hour. It will bubble up and become hot. Wash the pipe with hot water to clean the passage.

• Liquid Detergent:

Take half a cup of liquid dish detergent in a cup, and pour it down the clogged pipe. Boil a large and sufficient amount of water, and run it in addition to the detergent for lubrication. Take a rubber plunger and plunge the line for a good few minutes. Will remove the majority of gunk easily. Repeat this method if water flow is not smooth yet. It is an excellent answer to what is a good drain cleaner.

• Biological Enzymes:

Biological enzymes effectively resolve drain clogging problem and can be used as a preventive measure. It is a suitable method of what is a good drain cleaner. Can easily clean organic drain clogs including hair, grease, oils and soap. These are used in packaging at shops and must operate according to the pre-defined instructions. Pour it down the clogged drain and leave it overnight. It will dissolve organic materials and will clear the passage for water flow.

• Chemical Products:

Using chemical products is considered as the last resort, for getting rid of drain clogging. Following types of chemical drain cleaners can be used as per requirement, as an answer to what is a good drain cleaner:

• Acidic Cleaner:

Acidic drain cleaners are composed of concentrated hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid. These only sold to certified plumbers due to their potentially harmful effects. When added to the clogged drain, they attract electrons from the clogging material and deposit their protons. It reaction forces the materials to leave the surface of the pipe, and smoothly pass through the drain pipe.

• Oxidizing Cleaner:

Oxidizing drain cleaners react with organic clogging materials to force them into getting oxidized by losing electrons. They made of varying items such as bleach, nitrates and peroxides. Since the mixture is heavier than water, it can easily pass through the clogged pipe. Heat and gas are generated that plays a vital role in cleaning the blocked line.

• Caustic Cleaner:

Caustic drain cleaners are bases and clear drainage pipes by donating electrons to the clogging materials. Hydroxide ions cause a chemical reaction and heat produced. It heat melts grease, fats and other substances so that can clean up the pip. The heaviness of chemicals is the reason why they reach clogging material through the water.

• Vacuum Tool:

Automatic wet and dry cleaners are readily available in the market. Adjust its settings such that it can suck liquids. Keep the vent covered so that the liquid does not get spilt. Make sure that the top of the drainpipe is sealed correctly and then plunge the drain with the help of the vacuum tool. Keep the settings to the maximum. The method is not highly efficient, but it is likely to resolve your problem.

Removal of Smell:

After you have successfully found the answer to what is a good drain cleaner, the next step is to remove the irritating smell left behind for days. When grease, oil or food particles deposited on the inside walls of drainage pipes, they cause a nasty odour along with the blockage. The smell caused by bacteria that appear in the deposited chunks.

Baking Soda and vinegar is a reliable home remedy for getting rid of the smell permanently. Can also use room fresheners, but they cover the smell for a brief duration only. It mixture can be used every week for prevention purpose, to resolve the issue before it can create problems.

Overflow of water due to blocked pipes is a common problem. Many people overlook the minor signs that lead to significant issues. If the problem appears, you can use any of the above methods to clear the blocking from drainage pipes. Without analyzing and detecting the root cause of the blockage, it is nearly impossible to get rid of the problem.

Another beneficial approach followed by people is to take precautionary measures so that the blocking of pipes is unlikely to appear. It practice not only keeps your house safe from potential damages but also saves you from the nasty smell that occurs as a result of blocking.