Is it safe to use lye in pipes?
Here’s the problem: Chemical drain cleaners, such as caustic cleaners (containing caustic soda or lye), are bad for your pipes and your health. Using one of these chemical cleaners to unclog your drain could cause more harm than good in the long run.
Is lye safe on pipes?
Can lye be used to unclog drains?
How long does it take lye to unclog a drain?
Can I put lye in my toilet?
You cannot use lye in a toilet without creating a leak. You may not see it, but the leak will be there. Toilets must be plunged or snaked.
How much lye do I need for toilet?
4. Using a plastic spoon, pour a few tablespoonfuls of lye directly into the drain hole. Then, pour in about a quarter cup of water to disperse the lye as far as it can go. Leave it to do its job for a half hour or so then flush the drain with hot water.
Is lye safe for PVC pipes?
Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail.
Why do plumbers hate Drano?
Because of its corrosive nature, Drano can cause toilet bowls to crack, PVC pipes to melt or break and the glue that holds pipes together can be eaten away. If any of these things happen, you’re going to be left with an inoperable plumbing system and costly repairs.
Can you use a snake on PVC pipe?
PVC pipes are an improvement over cast-iron pipes, because they have smooth walls that don’t allow debris to cling, so if you have to clear a clogged drain deep in the pipe, you can usually do it with a plunger or drain snake.
How do you clean a waste pipe?
Run extremely hot water down the drain to soften the clog, following up with grease-dissolving dish soap. If the clog still hasn’t come loose, use a kitchen plunger and try putting hot water and dish soap down the pipes again.
What dissolves grease in pipes?
Use a 50:50 mix of boiling hot water and white vinegar. The hot water will melt the fat; the vinegar removes it from the lining of the pipes, and the flow of the water will carry it away down the pipe, so follow up with more hot water in a few minutes.
Is lye safe to use in pipes?
Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail.
Is lye safe for cast iron pipes?
Although it won’t melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. As such, you should only use lye as a last resort even if your pipes are metal. Lye can help with very slow drains but never use it in a drain that you suspect to be clogged solid.
How do you unclog a PVC pipe?
Pour 1/2 cup of salt down the drain, followed by boiling water. Flush the drain with hot water. Sprinkle a cup of baking soda into your drain along with a cup of vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes after it stops bubbling, and then flush it away with hot water.
Does Drano eat hair?
Drano® Clog Removers can unclog a drain fast. They contain ingredients chemicals that quickly dissolve hair, soap scum and gunk. You can use Drano® Clog Removers to unclog a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower or clogged bathtub, but DO NOT use them in toilets.
What happens if you flush a snake down the toilet?
If even the thought of toilet snakes sends chills down your spine, take heart; while it’s certainly possible for a snake to end up in your toilet, it’s extraordinarily unlikely.
Will Coca Cola unclog a drain?
Coke. Coke is a lesser-known fix you can find in your refrigerator. Pour a 2-liter bottle of cola — Pepsi, Coke, or generic brand substitutes — down the clogged drain. Coke is actually quite caustic and effective at clearing away buildup in your drains, but it’s far milder than commercial drain cleaners.
Is it safe to pour boiling water down kitchen sink?
Do NOT pour boiling water down your sink or toilet. In recent years, DIYers looking to find a green alternative to chemical products have suggested pouring a potful of boiling water into a clogged sink or toilet to clear a clog.
How do you clean a trap under the sink?
- Pour some baking soda down your drain and then pour boiling water down after. Sometimes this will clear the clog.
- Use a plunger on your sink drain to try to force the clog out of the trap.
- If these don’t work, then you probably have a larger clog, and it’s time to take off your drain trap.
- Pour some baking soda down your drain and then pour boiling water down after. Sometimes this will clear the clog.
- Use a plunger on your sink drain to try to force the clog out of the trap.
- If these don’t work, then you probably have a larger clog, and it’s time to take off your drain trap.
How do you clean the inside of a PVC pipe?
You don’t need to take pipes apart to clean them. In fact, the best way to clean PVC pipe is simple. To eliminate grease buildup in the pipes, heat a few gallons of water and then let it cool for about two minutes. Add a couple of drops of dishwashing soap, mix that in and pour it down the drain.
Is Drano safe for copper pipes?
NOPE. Drano® will not damage pipes or plumbing. Drano® products are powerful enough to dissolve nasty clogs, but they will not harm your plastic or metal pipes, so there’s no need to worry. In fact, Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover contains a special ingredient that prevents pipe corrosion.