Which Drain Cleaner is Right for You?
Choosing the Best Drain Cleaners
There are several different ways to clean your drains, and there isn’t one that is necessarily the best. The drain cleaner that is best is dependent upon the particular situation. In order to choose the best drain cleaner, you need to know where the clog is located, and the source of the clog, if possible. With those factors in mind you can use the following guidelines to help you deal with the toughest clogs.
Bathroom Drains
When you are dealing with clogged bathroom drains, one of the biggest culprits is hair. The hair can often combine with soap scum, shampoo, body washes, and other product buildup to create a clog.
Hair clogs are a common problem, but they are also an easy one to fix. You don’t need chemicals or heavy equipment; you can clear out a hair clog with a simple plastic tool. Look for a drain claw or a Zip-It tool.
You can often find these in your local big box store, right by the chemical drain cleaners and bathroom cleaning products. These tools are just a long piece of wire or plastic that is lined with gripping teeth. The tool is flexible, so you can easily insert it into the drain, and fits around bends in the pipe and through small areas.
Just insert the claw into the drain with a twisting motion, and slowly pull it back out. It will pull out clumps of hair and other gunk, easily clearing the drain.
Kitchen Drains
In the kitchen, drain clogs are most often caused by food particles, grease, and soap residue. When you are dealing with this type of clog, the best way to attack it is to use a chemical drain cleaner, such as Drano or Liquid Plumber. You can pick up one of these products at your local retailer, near where the bathroom cleaning products are located. These chemicals are formulated to attack the buildup in the pipes and dissolve it, which opens up the drain and allows water to flow properly.
If you have a particularly tough clog, you may need to use the chemical drain cleaner several time before you get optimum results.
An important fact to remember when you are using a chemical drain cleaner is to never pour it into the side of your sink where the garbage disposal is located. It can cause serious damage to your garbage disposal because the chemicals in the drain cleaner react with the aluminum of the garbage disposal.
Instead, pour the drain cleaner slowly into the other side of the sink, wait a few minutes, and then flush the system with hot water.
Toilets
Toilet clogs are typically caused by human waste. Before you start adding chemicals to your toilet, determine whether your toilet is connected to a septic system or a city sewer system. If you have a septic system, you can use a toilet drain cleaner. If you are hooked into a city sewer system, you may not be able to use those products.
Whether you have a septic system or city sewer system, you can safely use products composed of enzymes and bacteria that are specifically intended to safely clear out toilet clogs. These products will dissolve the organic matter without introducing dangerous chemicals into the earth and water supply.
If you run into a clogged drain, call the professionals at Scott English Plumbing for help. We perform routine drain cleaning services, in addition to video inspection of your pipes and sewer system. We will help you to locate the clog and get it cleaned out quickly.
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