How to safely unclog drainage with lye
- Avoid getting lye in contact with your bare skin as it can cause chemical burns. Using rubber gloves is advisable.
- Avoid inhalation of the stuff. Before using it, open the windows and make sure that there is sufficient ventilation.
- If you’re using lye to unclog a kitchen sink, clear the sink first. ...
What is the best product to unclog drains?
These are the best drain cleaners, according to Good Housekeeping Institute reviews:
- Best Overall Drain Cleaner: Drano Max Gel Liquid Clog Remover
- Best Drain Cleaner for Hair Clogs: Liquid Plumr Clog Destroyer + Hair Clog Eliminator
- Best Enzymatic Drain Cleaner: Bio Clean
- Best Monthly Build-up Remover: CLR Clear Pipes & Drains
- Best Crystal Drain Cleaner: Thrift Odorless Drain Cleaner
How to clean a drain with lye?
How to Safely Unclog Drainage with Lye
- Avoid getting lye in contact with your bare skin as it can cause chemical burns. Using rubber gloves is advisable.
- Avoid inhalation of the stuff. Before using it, open the windows and make sure that there is sufficient ventilation.
- If you’re using lye to unclog a kitchen sink, clear the sink first. ...
How to clear a clogged drain in 7 easy ways?
- Allow your sink to drain completely. This may take time, but it will eventually clear.
- Pour 1/4-cup of baking soda into your drain. You can use a funnel to make sure all of the baking soda goes down the drain.
- Add 1 1/4-cup of white vinegar to the drain using the same funnel.
- Use a sink stopper to plug the drain. ...
- Pour boiling water down the drain slowly. ...
What is the best way to clean a clogged drain?
Powerful Natural Homemade Drain Cleaners
- Baking Soda and Vinegar. This one is probably the most popular home remedy you can find to unclog a drain naturally (and on the cheap).
- Dish Detergent and Hot Water. This homemade cleaner is highly effective against clogs that contain mostly grease or oily substances, therefore you can expect the best results if you ...
- Salt and Baking Soda. ...
Can you put lye down the drain?
Heavier than water, lye is a popular chemical often used to clear clogged drains. Because it doesn't float, you can use lye in drains even when there is standing water present. The lye will sink to the bottom of the drain and clear the clog quite effectively.
How long does it take lye to unclog a drain?
Powerful 100% lye formula creates heat to melt and dissolve grease, hair, soap, scum, and other drain clogging material. Clears drain lines in 15-30 minutes. For use in kitchen and bathroom sinks, tubs, and showers.
Will lye hurt your 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 a good drain opener?
When the lye dissolves the grease, it releases explosive hydrogen. This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely absorbed by the sodium nitrate. The pros of lye are that it's effective against sticky clog-smears like what you find in kitchen sinks, as well as thick hair clogs in bathrooms.
Is pure lye safe for pipes?
A natural drain opener, ComStar Pure Lye is biodegradable and odorless with a non-acid formula that is safe on fine fixtures, chrome trim, and metal or plastic pipes. This amazing product clears out clogged and slow-moving drains, grease traps, and septic systems, without harming septic tanks or cesspools.
Will lye damage copper pipes?
But they're very corrosive to pipes (including galvanized steel, copper, and iron) as well as fixtures and fittings. Lye drain cleaners also release heat (as do acid-based products) that softens and deforms plastic pipes.
Does lye eat through plastic?
Although polystyrene is chemically resistant to room temperature lye, it is not resistant to hot lye. Polystyrene is brittle and will shatter easily when dropped or bent. Do not use plastics in the "Other" category, recycling code #7.
Can I put lye in my toilet?
Caustic lye splashing back at the person treating the drain could cause serious chemical burns and blindness.
What is the best thing to unclog drains?
Baking soda and salt work similarly to baking soda and vinegar. Again, combine a 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of salt. Let this sit in the drain for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight and then pour hot water down the drain. Repeat this process if necessary.
How do you use lye as a drain opener?
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 toxic?
Lye is a caustic substance that can certainly damage your skin if you're exposed to it. It can cause a number of problems, such as burns, blindness, and even death when consumed. But, and this is a big but, soap that is created with lye (which is all real soap) will do absolutely no harm to your skin.
Is Drano lye?
What is Drano? Drano is a household drainage cleaner made from either sodium hypochlorate (bleach), sodium hydroxide (lye), sodium chloride, sodium nitrate and aluminum. How does it work? Once poured down the drain, Drano works to create a chemical reaction to decompose organic matter causing the blockage.
What is lye in plumbing?
Advertisement. Lye is an incredibly basic, alkaline metal compound (sodium hydroxide), often used as a soap for cleaning purposes.
Why is PVC used in plumbing?
PVC is commonly used in household plumbing because it's an inexpensive, readily available material that can be shaped into hundreds of easily produced standard parts. The surface of PVC is known to be exceptionally inert, meaning few chemicals will interact with it, unlike metals which can rust or form buildup.
Can you use Lye as a drain cleaner?
ASAP Drain Guys & Plumbing recommends never using lye as a drain cleaner, despite how effective it is, because it is so caustic. Thornton & Grooms recommends using mechanical tools, like a drain snake or drain bladder, before trying harsh chemicals. Advertisement.
Can you use lye to build up water in pipes?
If you decide to use powerful chemicals, such as lye, to attack buildups in plumbing, it's important to always follow the manufacturer's instructions. There should be details on how to properly dilute and apply a lye solution to the best effect without risking any damage to the pipes or the system.
Can you use lye in PVC?
Lye should not be used in PVC piping, as it has the ability to generate heat and warp or otherwise deform the pipes.
