Why You Should Avoid Liquid Drain Cleaners

As a homeowner, a slow drain is never a good sign. It is a clear indication that your plumbing system is having some serious problems. At this point, you cannot rule out the idea of a blockage in the drain. But how do you deal with such plumbing issue effectively? Apart from numerous available methods for deal dealing with a blocked drain, many homeowners opt for the liquid dry cleaners. After all, it provides the easiest way to deal clear off any clogged drain.

Don’t Use Liquid Drain Cleaners

However, you should be very careful while using liquid dry cleaners. No matter how good they may seem to be, there are numerous disadvantages associated with these cleaner. As a matter of fact, the liquid should never be your first option method for cleaning out your unclogged drain. It does not offer the best solution to flush away your clogged drain. Here are key reasons why you should avoid liquid drain cleaners:

They Cause Damage to the Pipes

Liquid dry cleaners are formulated with high reactive acidic components. One of the characteristics of the acids is that they are corrosive. There are very few products that do not react with acids. In the case of metallic pipes, the reaction of liquid drain chemical is felt more than the PVC ones, but both suffer its effect. The metallic pipes corrode with the acid, and in most cases, the pipe is damaged permanently. This has no other option rather than to buy and fix another one. It is very costly since you need to purchase the materials and call the plumber to fix it.

Produces Bad Odours

One of the biggest pollutants in the environment is the use of chemicals. Using chemicals to clean the drain causes a lot of pollution in the area surrounding and even far away. The reaction of chemical and the pipes (metallic pipes) produces unpleasant gas. Most of this gas is harmful to the environment. Some of it has the bad smell that may be even worse than that of decaying waste materials. Secondly, the chemicals are mixed with water and are drained into the farm and rivers. This causes death or organisms like fish in the rivers. The chemicals are also absorbed by the plants that are fed by both animals and human beings. These chemicals affect people and animals indirectly, and their effects are significantly noticed in the society.

Costly and Sometimes Ineffective

Chemicals are known to be very costly. If you can spend one litre of the chemical to clean your drain, then it will cost you a huge sum of money at the end of the year. Some of these chemicals may require you to ask for assistance from the professionals which may be another added cost. Chemicals will also cause you to incur some other cost as mentioned earlier. A good example is damaging of pipes and enamel around the drain. For those who use chemicals to clean their drain, sometimes it may not work. In a case of pipe blocked by some thick papers or some stones, the chemical may not work. It will require a professional to use other means to clear the drain. This will lead you to dig into your pocket to pay the plumber while you have the chemical in your home. Prevention is always more effective, see our fundemental tips to prevent drain clogs here.

Hazards to Both Human and Pets

Most of the chemical liquid drain cleaners are known to be toxic and harmful to human and animal health. Continuous inhaling of such substances when cleaning the drain may put your life at risk. Some chemicals are irritants to the eyes and cause partial or total blindness. If not properly stored children can unknowingly consume them. This may lead to death if not noticed quickly and responded accordingly. Most of the cleaning agents are made by using different types of acids. Acid is known to be corrosive to both living and non-living organisms. If one happens to have a contact with it during cleaning it may lead to burning of the skin or cause some skin disorder in your body. Chemicals should be avoided at all cost or be used when there is no other alternative left behind but by qualified personnel.

It is clear that chemicals don’t offer the best solution when it comes to clearing the drain. You can use other means of cleaning the drain to avoid the problems mentioned above. However, sometimes you can use it to clear some bacteria and germs that may require the use of the chemical to end their lifecycle. Insist on using hot water to clean the drain, and this will maintain your drainage system for a long time.