Clogs within drain pipes
A clogged drain is annoying, bathroom or kitchen, doesn’t matter, it is annoying. You’re preparing for guests, and the bathroom sink isn’t draining, or the kitchen drain has slowed down and almost stopped. Dealing with clogged drain cleaning right now is not in today’s schedule, but here you are, trying to determine the best and fastest way to get things draining.
That clogged drain bathtub problem is getting the kids off their routine, and the kitchen’s clogged drain causing a leak now, the dreaded clogged drain effect apparently. Now that clogged drain cleaning has become a more urgent matter to handle. What is the best way to clean your drains?
Any professional plumber will advise you not to use a chemical drain cleaner. The chemicals are hard on the pipes, actually damages them while they are removing the clog. Different consumer reports advise the same thing, stating that using chemicals for clogged drain cleaning will lead to more trouble, even create a gas as they react with aluminum pipes that can make you sick.
Even worse, if you’re trying different clogged drain cleaning products because nothing is working, they get mixed together and can burst out, splashing you in the face. Those crystal chemical clogged drain cleaning products can damage not just the pipes, but your garbage disposal, septic system, sewer line, etc. All that results in more problems for you, some of them expensive problems. Often, the damage is done and the clog is still there.
Here, we have gathered some clogged drain cleaning methods that professional plumbers recommend:
The Bathroom – Shower, Sink and Tub Drains
The biggest cause of clogs in the bathroom is long hair and toothpaste. When these come together and water mixes with them, you could almost build a hut with the result. For clogged drain cleaning in this area, fill the sink or shower/tub with hot water with the drain plugged. Then unplug and if the clog isn’t too severe, it should flush the drain with the hot water melting the toothpaste, taking the long hair with it to the sewer. If the ‘s drain is still clogged, get a sink plunger and plunge the drain a few times. The next thing to try is a plumber snake, available at your local big box home improvement store.
The Toilet
If anything other than human waste and toilet paper have been flushed in the toilet, that could be why you’re faced with clogged drain cleaning your toilet. Human waste and toilet paper are biodegradable, other things that are supposed to be “flushable” aren’t and those result in the clogged drain cleaning process. Using a toilet plunger (these are different than the sink plunger and should never be exchanged for each other), try to get the clog busted and moving. Like the sink and shower/tub above, if the plunger doesn’t work for you, use a plumber snake and if that doesn’t accomplish clogged drain cleaning, you’ll have to call a professional.
The Kitchen Drain
A clogged kitchen drain is a major inconvenience but using a simple mixture of dish liquid and hot water could be all your need for this clogged drain cleaning process. Let the hot water, as hot as possible, run into the drain, this softens the clog. Then add a grease removing dish liquid and keep the extreme hot water running. If that doesn’t break the clog, then use the sink plunger while the hot water and dish liquid are in the drain. Another natural clogged drain cleaning method is pouring baking soda and vinegar down the drain. If none of this works, you’ll need to call a professional plumber.
The best clogged drain cleaning method is not to put things in the sinks, toilet, or tub that don’t belong in drains. The next best thing you can do is practice regular maintenance with your kitchen and bathroom drains by using a natural mix of products like baking soda and vinegar to keep them clean.
Will bleach unclog a drain?
While bleach is a great household product and can do so many things, it is not a clogged drain cleaning product. Bleach will reduce any dirt on surfaces and brightens your white clothes. Bleach is excellent at killing bacteria and terms. You won’t find a better household product that sanitizes around your home, but clogged drain cleaning is one thing it can’t do.
Plumbers do recommend using bleach to clean and deodorize the drain once a month in place of baking soda and vinegar. Pour as much as ¾ a cup of bleach in every drain once a month and it will kill the bacteria and germs that have built up in them. Getting that clog of toothpaste and hair busted though, it won’t help with that problem.
What chemical do plumbers use to unclog drains?
Plumbers never rely on chemicals to for clogged drain cleaning. The products on the market are chemicals that weigh more than the water you’re pouring them into, and typically are going right to the pipes and eating the pipes, leaving the clog behind.
Potassium hydroxide can be used to change grease clogs into a soft soap-like substance, and thioglycolic acid will dissolve hair. Other ingredients that have been used for clogged drain cleaning are lye, sodium hydroxide, or sulfuric acid. These are toxic products and need to be handled with special care. At this point, the safest thing you can do is call a professional plumber.
What do plumbers use to clean pipes?
Plumbers do not use chemicals for clogged drain cleaning, instead they use any of the following mechanical methods:
- DRAIN AUGERS OR PLUMBER SNAKE: A standard tool for any plumber that demolish any obstruction in the pipes. This motorized drain auger has a long, flexible metal coil that works like a corkscrew. The plumber puts the end down the drain and when they feel it hits the clog, they activate the motor, and that metal coil forces the end through the clog. It will either break it up and push it on through or pull it out when the plumber removes the auger.
- HYDRO-JETTER: This piece of equipment will break through practically any clog while it comprehensively cleans the drains inside, removing any grease, soap scum, and more.
- VIDEO INSPECTION EQUIPMENT: This small video camera is attached to a long fiber-optic cable and the plumber puts into the clogged drain. It isn’t there for clogged drain cleaning, but it will show the plumber on a small TV-type screen if there is a clogged drain or broken pipe. The plumber then knows what needs to be done for a clogged drain fix, which at this point, is repairing or replacing sewer pipes.
Clogged drains are aggravating and in the heat of the moment, it is tempting to pour a chemical that claims to be fast acting and strong into the drain. Avoid doing that if at all possible, and if you are going to give that a try, then be sure to follow the instructions exactly. Call (508) 272-1196 today for your clogged drain needs in Somerset, MA.