isleseeya Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Heard for years that drano is supposed to be really bad for your pipes ...not sure if anyone used the stuff and has first hand experience that it damages them Had a clogges sink in my upstairs bathroom..wife bought super strength drano gel ..figured let me try it which I did this Am ...in 15 minutes , sink is clear and water going down faster than Bush's approval rating ...so I gotta believe this stuff works really well Hope no long term damage to my pipes though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peepinmofo Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Heard for years that drano is supposed to be really bad for your pipes ...not sure if anyone used the stuff and has first hand experience that it damages them Had a clogges sink in my upstairs bathroom..wife bought super strength drano gel ..figured let me try it which I did this Am ...in 15 minutes , sink is clear and water going down faster than Bush's approval rating ...so I gotta believe this stuff works really well Hope no long term damage to my pipes though Ive used it several times before, usually working each time. I think it is ok to use every now and again, but if you use it every day it is probably bad. Try drinking it. Maybe they mean its bad for THOSE pipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share Posted July 5, 2007 Lol ...drano shots stopped for me in college Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Only use the mint-flavored Drano for shots. Doesn't Drano and brake fluid mixed make some kind of smoke/stink bomb? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 We started using an enzymatic cleaner (I think it's called Bio Clean) at the suggestion of a friend. It won't unclog a stopped up pipe but will keep stuff from accumulating over time. Our house has this lame set where the washer/dryer is pretty near the kitchen sink, so you've got the handy combination of lint from the washer mixing with grease from the sink and making a nice paste. On top of that, when the washer backs up, you're talking about gallons and gallons of water in an area that's freaking hard to clean up. So far so good, then again, it is summer so grease doesn't build up as badly as when it's colder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Heard for years that drano is supposed to be really bad for your pipes ...not sure if anyone used the stuff and has first hand experience that it damages them Had a clogges sink in my upstairs bathroom..wife bought super strength drano gel ..figured let me try it which I did this Am ...in 15 minutes , sink is clear and water going down faster than Bush's approval rating ...so I gotta believe this stuff works really well Hope no long term damage to my pipes though Ask the Mythbusters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share Posted July 5, 2007 We started using an enzymatic cleaner (I think it's called Bio Clean) at the suggestion of a friend. It won't unclog a stopped up pipe but will keep stuff from accumulating over time. Our house has this lame set where the washer/dryer is pretty near the kitchen sink, so you've got the handy combination of lint from the washer mixing with grease from the sink and making a nice paste. On top of that, when the washer backs up, you're talking about gallons and gallons of water in an area that's freaking hard to clean up. So far so good, then again, it is summer so grease doesn't build up as badly as when it's colder. This is good info ..I may have to look this stuff up ..thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Love Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Ask the Mythbusters. Mythbusters is entertainment, not science. Those guys couldn't pick the scientific method out of a lineup that included a tube of hemmoroid cream and a unicycle. Drano, depending on the formulation, has several actives. Usually, caustic soda (aka lye, sodium hydroxide, NaOH) does much of the heavy lifting by attacking fats and cellulose (hairs, etc) that cause clogs. NaOH hydrolizes these materials into new, more water-soluble materials. Sometimes there is bleach (aka sodium hypochlorite, NaOCl), which is a strong oxidizer. It chemically attacks the materials in the clog, as well. There can also be thickeners (to hold the actives against the clog materials) and surfactants (to help solublize the clog). PVC and copper are pretty resistant to these chemicals, especially in short exposures (using Drano when you have a clog). These chemicals are hardest on galvanized piping, but if you still have galvanized drain pipes, you've likely got such a thick buildup of gunk in your pipes that the galvanized will never contact the Drano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 did you read the bottle? drano works by burning a hole in your pipe allowing the water to drain. problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Drano can tarnish/remove the plated finish of some drain fixtures. Extended use could make it so bad that you have to replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrudge Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Heard for years that drano is supposed to be really bad for your pipesIt's not really bad if used in moderation. But most drain cleaners contain some form of an acid or base which if left in contact with the pipes may corrode or otherwise eat away at the pipe. They also can cause chemical burns if they come into prolonged contact with your skin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 A few years ago I tried to clear a clog with Drano and it didn't do crap, so I used Red Devil Lye, straight up. Problem solved. I've never used anything else since. Am I hurting my pipes (I don't use it more than once a year or so)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 I have replaced many a pipes of people who say they just used drano or something similiar. It may be because they misused it or it may be because the gunk in the pipe was the only thing holding the water in. I always recommend snaking the line out. Also, if you use a chemical and it does not solve the problem and you must call a plumber, PLEASE let him know what you used. I try to remember to ask but have forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Mythbusters is entertainment, not science. Those guys couldn't pick the scientific method out of a lineup that included a tube of hemmoroid cream and a unicycle. Whatever, yer just jealous. Adam and Jamie are the roxorz mad scientists. Seriously though, they are set designers, what do you expect. I think they do a pretty good job at conclusively proving or disproving a very diverse range of "myths". Things I have learned: Dont run in the rain, it gets you wetter. Do tailgate Tractor Trailers when doing 55 on the highway as it will save you 20% gas mileage. Do use a 12 gauage deer slug when shooting a lock off a door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 I have replaced many a pipes of people who say they just used drano or something similiar. It may be because they misused it or it may be because the gunk in the pipe was the only thing holding the water in. I always recommend snaking the line out. Also, if you use a chemical and it does not solve the problem and you must call a plumber, PLEASE let him know what you used. I try to remember to ask but have forgotten. well, i think your cause and effect is a little backwards here. for example, just this week i had some guys out to replace a 4' section of my kitchen sink line (50 year old house) that had corroded so badly there were holes on the top of the pipe that dirt was coming in and clogging the line. the line has always drained, but it was a bit slow. of course, before i spent a grand to have them jackhammer my basement floor and replace the pipe, i tried drano a few times. obviously, drano didn't CAUSE the problem, it's just the first thing you try when you HAVE a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Just use Lye Works great! and is useful in getting rid of those pesky corpses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 I've had better luck with a plunger then Drano........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 well, i think your cause and effect is a little backwards here. for example, just this week i had some guys out to replace a 4' section of my kitchen sink line (50 year old house) that had corroded so badly there were holes on the top of the pipe that dirt was coming in and clogging the line. the line has always drained, but it was a bit slow. of course, before i spent a grand to have them jackhammer my basement floor and replace the pipe, i tried drano a few times. obviously, drano didn't CAUSE the problem, it's just the first thing you try when you HAVE a problem. I have seen cases where gunk has lined the inside of the pipe. There was still a large enough hole for water to drain slow. Once the drano and even a snake were used the corroded pipe exposed the holes that were already there. I guess what I am trying to say is it can work both ways. If used improperly the drano can eat a hole in the pipe. If used correctly it will clean the pipe of the grud but may expose the correded pipe and thus it will leak. Of course by snaking it the leak would show up as well. Does this make any sense or am I just rambling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 I've had better luck with a plunger then Drano........... In some cases a plunger has worked well but sometimes you need to break out the heavy artillery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share Posted July 5, 2007 Plunger did not work this time for me ..normally does ...drano worked really quick and really well but clearly it would appear that moderation is the key ...hopefully no more clogs like this anytime soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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