Are Liquid Clog Removers Good for Your Drains?

The Truth About Liquid Clog Removers

When you experience a clogged outlet at your home, your first instinct is probably to jump in your car to head to the store for products. While drainers are often effective in breaking down the materials that created the blockage, there is some skepticism regarding their safety in the water supply system. So, is it safe to use these blockage removers in your home’s outlets?

According to studies, liquid drain removers are one of the most dangerous household cleaning products available. Most drainers are made with lye as their main ingredient. Lye is a caustic chemical that can cause extreme harm to a person if handled improperly. It can cause burns to the skin, rashes, blindness and even death if ingested on accident. If the cleaning agent lye can do all of this to a person, imagine the damage it can cause to your pipes as it sits in the pipelines dissolving the materials that blocked the outlets.

How Liquid Drain Cleaners Can Cause Damage to Your Pipes

Due to the intensity and strength of the ingredients found in most cleaners, it isn’t uncommon for the frequent use of such products to cause damage to your plumbing system. Many homeowners will continue to use drain cleaner every time their sanitations jam. However, if you find that you’re using them that often, you should consider that there is a much bigger issue with your water supply system or that the jam is too severe and far down the pipeline for the cleaner to work its magic. When you continuously use these harsh agents in your outlets, it will slowly eat away at the pipes whether they’re metal or plastic.

These may be okay for one time use or once in a great while but be cautious with overuse. Older pipes are especially weak to the caustic qualities of these products and will erode much faster when liquid drainers come in contact with it. As an alternative until the plumber arrives, you can pour a mixture of baking soda and vinegar down your outlets instead. These natural ingredients will activate each other to intensify their ability to remove the clog in the outlets.