{"id":917,"date":"2018-09-03T11:00:29","date_gmt":"2018-09-03T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neyerplumbing.com\/blog\/?p=917"},"modified":"2018-08-31T10:39:27","modified_gmt":"2018-08-31T14:39:27","slug":"store-bought-drain-cleaners-corrosion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neyerplumbing.com\/blog\/plumbing-service\/store-bought-drain-cleaners-corrosion\/","title":{"rendered":"Store-Bought Drain Cleaners and Corrosion: Yes, It Happens"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"woman-shocked-at-news\"We\u2019ve previously written on our blog about the potential problems of using store-bought \u201cdrain cleaners\u201d<\/a> to clear clogs in drains. (We can\u2019t put enough scare quotes around \u201cdrain cleaners.\u201d Here\u2019s an attempt: \u201c\u201c\u201c\u201c\u201c\u201c\u201cdrain cleaners.\u201d\u201d\u201d\u201d\u201d\u201d) The short version is drain cleaners rarely remove obstructions in drains, are filled with toxic chemicals, can poison the environment, and lead to corrosion in drainpipes that weakens them.<\/p>\n

The last part may be hard to believe. Drain cleaners causing corrosion in drains? Is this really something that happens?<\/p>\n

Yes, it is.<\/p>\n

Drain Cleaners Are Caustic<\/h2>\n

Liquid drain cleaners are no more than bottles of caustic chemicals. This acid eats away at clogs, but it doesn\u2019t know where the clog stops and the material of the pipe begins\u2014so it will attack the inside of the drainpipe as well. You\u2019ve unleashed a monster in your drains!<\/em><\/p>\n

And worse, it\u2019s a monster that won\u2019t leave. Not completely. No matter if the chemical cleaner eats through the clog or not, some of the chemicals will remain in the drainpipe afterward. This small amount of cleaner sitting in the pipe will continue to do its dirty work, and this may lead to corrosion.<\/p>\n

One reason for this is the way the chemical infiltrates small holes in older metal pipes. This speeds up the corrosion that\u2019s probably already occurring in the metal, increasing the reaction between the metal and the air. Another reason is the acids in drain cleaners react to soap scum, creating an even more powerful chemical reaction triggering corrosion.<\/p>\n

Plastic Drainpipes Won\u2019t Save You<\/h2>\n

If your reaction to this information is, \u201cBut I have plastic drainpipes, they can\u2019t corrode,\u201d we have some extra bad news. Drainpipes made of PVC or CPVC should never, ever have any type of chemical cleaners poured down them. The acidic chemical action of cleaners eats through plastic fast and the chemicals will stay down in the pipe for a long time.<\/p>\n

The Better Way to Clean Those Drains<\/h2>\n

If using chemical drain cleaners is a \u201cdon\u2019t go there!\u201d situation, then what\u2019s the best way to unclog drains and clean them? You have three options:<\/p>\n