Drain Cleaner

Mary | Sep 21, 2010 |

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A drain cleaner is anything, either mechanical or chemical, that will clear a clogged drain. A clogged drain will slow down or completely stop the flow of water through the plumbing. Drains can be clogged by a number of things such as hair and grease.

Mechanical Drain Cleaners

Mechanical drain cleaners will clear drains using tools or objects. A plumber's snake is a long flexible auger which goes into the drain and dislodges the clog. These can be used by the homeowner or a professional plumber. A plunger is a simple device which forces air into a pipe to clean a drain. Plungers have a rubber cup on the end of a handle, and when depressed the air trapped in the rubber cup is forced into the drain.

Chemical Drain Cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners include products that are manufactured and sold, and products which are created by the homeowner from household ingredients. The most popular drain cleaner sold is probably Drain-O. An easy drain cleaner recipe is baking soda and vinegar. A chemical drain cleaner will either use strong chemicals to eat away at the clog, or foam or fizz to dislodge the clog.

I probably should have used a third method, the plumber. Although the plumber will use either chemical or mechanical means to clear a clog also. Plumbers are professionals who work on the plumbing of a building. They fix leaks, clear drains, and replace outmoded plumbing. Hiring a plumber is a necessary expense that we'd all like to avoid if possible.

Keeping the drains from becoming clogged is the best drain cleaner of all. Avoid dumping grease, hair, or anything that is not liquid into a drain. Use a hair trap where appropriate to lessen the amount of hair that goes into the drain. An ounce of prevention as the old saying goes.