plastic pipe-safe drain cleaner

[Yonak Hawkins]

Ever since we had our house built 14 years ago I have always cleaned out the P trap if ever I had a drain clog. Well, now it seems the clog is further down the pipe. What kind of chemical is safe to put down a drain with a PVC Schedule 40 drain pipe ?

[Ole Anderson]

Pretty much any drain cleaner that comes in a plastic bottle.

[Al Launier]

Pretty much any drain cleaner that comes in a plastic bottle.
Ole, that really was a very good, common sense answer, but I wonder if all platics have the same resistance to chemical corrosion?
If concerned about the effects of chemicals on PVC pipes, perhaps a smaller snake would work from the trap downward, but that involves in more work.

[George Bokros]

Read the container, it should say if is safe. My guess is that since all modern waste lines are PVC the drain cleaners would be safe or least say if it is on the label.

[Ole Anderson]

Actually, I have never had much luck with chemical drain cleaners. For cleaning the trap, those disposable plastic zip-it cleaners work pretty well, beyond that I would remove the trap and either snake it out or use a hose bladder type cleaner.

https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/bff2c86a-3e6b-40aa-ba9c-064f88605db9/svn/plumbing-snakes-augers-bc00332-c3_145.jpg

[glenn bradley]

I have used both liquid plum'r and drano without problems. The drano says right on the label "safe for all plastic and metal pipes".

[Lee Schierer]

It would be useful to know which drain in the house is clogged. Kitchen drains often get clogged with congealed grease, which can be cleared with copius amounts of hot water. Bathroom sink drains get clogged with hair, toothpaste etc and need to be snaked or chemically cleaned.

When in doubt on an product it pays to read the label.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. It is a bathroom drain. (Neither my wife nor I ever put grease down the kitchen drain. We're on a septic tank and oil and grease especially would cause problems.) The culprit is, likely, the hair, soap, toothpaste, etc., that you talk about, Lee.

I have removed and cleaned out the trap which was pretty gunky. Also, the pipe going into the wall looks pretty nasty and, from there on, vertical or nearly horizontal in orientation.

[Jerome Stanek]

you have to be careful what you use on a septic tank

[Yonak Hawkins]

Thanks Jerome. I'll be sure to find a chemical that is PVC and septic tank safe. Thanks for everyone's help.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have poured large amounts of drain cleaner down the bathroom sink over the years with ok results.
Got a drain cleaner like this at Lowe's or Home Depot and it cleaned the drain for good. Best money ever spent.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKOZ6A/ref=asc_df_B000KKOZ6A5252349/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B000KKOZ6A&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193139379506&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3268534472120023341&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015676&hvtargid=pla-309085181424

[George Bokros]

I have poured large amounts of drain cleaner down the bathroom sink over the years with ok results.
Got a drain cleaner like this at Lowe's or Home Depot and it cleaned the drain for good. Best money ever spent.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKOZ6A/ref=asc_df_B000KKOZ6A5252349/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B000KKOZ6A&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193139379506&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3268534472120023341&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015676&hvtargid=pla-309085181424

How do these things work? I know they are connected to a garden hose. How do you get a garden hose to the second floor bathroom?

[Dave Lehnert]

How do these things work? I know they are connected to a garden hose. How do you get a garden hose to the second floor bathroom?

They make them in a kit with a hose adapter to fit to your sink faucet.
I just ran the garden hose outside around the house and through the window.


https://youtu.be/LPSSJJA6V54

[Bill Bukovec]

I use a product called Bioclean. It's enzymes that eat hair and other things that clog drains. My wife has very thick, long hair. It took a few applications, but it cleared the clogs way down in the pipes. Our drain pipes (at the previous house) were copper, but Bioclean is safe for pvc and septic systems.

Good luck

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. It is a bathroom drain. (Neither my wife nor I ever put grease down the kitchen drain. We're on a septic tank and oil and grease especially would cause problems.) The culprit is, likely, the hair, soap, toothpaste, etc., that you talk about, Lee.

I have removed and cleaned out the trap which was pretty gunky. Also, the pipe going into the wall looks pretty nasty and, from there on, vertical or nearly horizontal in orientation.

I would recommend you try a snake and avoid the drain cleaner at all costs, especially if you are on the septic.

The drain cleaner will kill the bacteria in the septic tank. If it does not work and you have to call a plumber, the plumber will not be happy having to snake the pipe with the cleaner in there.

For $10 you can get a snake at Home Depot. and if you have taken the p trap off, you are go to go:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-4-in-x-15-ft-Drain-Auger-BC91015/100540673

[Yonak Hawkins]

Very cool. Thank you, Bill.

[Richard McComas]

I have plastic pipes and a septic system. I use Drano, but use the right one

http://www.drano.com/en-us/explore-clog-basics/frequently-asked-questions

[Jerome Stanek]

I could count on one hand the times I used a drain cleaner other then a plunger and I have lived here 43 years. I do have a septic system and also installed them when I was working for a builder.