Stop Using Drain Cleaner (A $6 Plunger Beat It in Testing)

Before you pour a bottle of drain cleaner down the sink, know this: in Consumer Reports' head-to-head lab test, a $6 plunger scored 80 out of 100. The best-known gel scored 52. And the famous warning that drain cleaner eats your pipes? On modern plastic plumbing, that's mostly a myth. The real dangers are the ones nobody mentions: the sink full of caustic water when it doesn't work, the splash when you plunge it, and the toxic gas when you pour a second product on top. I run my mother's cleaning crew, and we don't carry a single bottle. Here's what we use instead, in the order we use it. CHAPTERS 0:00 A $6 plunger vs drain cleaner 0:49 What's actually in the bottle 1:14 Does it really eat your pipes? 1:58 Where the pipe damage is real 2:32 When it doesn't work 3:14 What happens to the plumber 3:40 The mistake that makes toxic gas 4:38 What my crew carries instead 4:51 1. The right plunger, used the right way 5:16 2. The plastic drain strip 5:40 3. Taking off the trap 6:04 4. The hand snake 6:24 Tools vs one plumber visit 6:37 Is boiling water safe for your pipes? 7:07 Baking soda and vinegar 7:29 Enzyme cleaners 8:08 How to stop clogs before they start 8:54 If you use drain cleaner anyway 9:44 The order to try things 10:07 When you really do need a plumber WHAT TO KEEP UNDER THE SINK A cup plunger for sinks and tubs, and a flange plunger for the toilet A plastic barbed drain strip A bucket A hand-crank drain snake, or a toilet auger for toilets SAFETY Never pour a second drain product on top of the first, and never follow a bleach-based gel with vinegar, an acid toilet cleaner or anything containing ammonia. It can make toxic gas. Never plunge a drain that has drain cleaner in it. If you use a drain cleaner, wear rubber gloves and goggles and follow the label. If it gets in your eyes, rinse with running water for at least 15 to 20 minutes. If you breathe fumes or someone swallows it, call Poison Control on 1-800-222-1222. The Consumer Reports lab test was published in 2006 and product formulas have changed since. Always follow the label on your own product. #plumbing #cleaningtips #homemaintenance #drainclog