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8 plumber-approved drain cleaners for your sinks and tubs
All of these recommendations are safe for pipes, work fast and are suitable for all types of clogs.
My old apartment had a shower drain that consistently got clogged. This drain cleaner became my best friend — it works quickly and clears hair quickly. According to the brand, the caustic formula works on all kinds of pipes (including metal and PVC) and won’t corrode them. To use, pour a fifth of the bottle down your drain, wait seven minutes and then flush with hot water. It will work on clogs caused by hair, soap scum, food and more, according to Drano.
This drain cleaner is safe to use on pipes, drains and septic systems, according to the brand. It’s effective on grease, oil, fats, foods and other materials that tend to accumulate around the lining of a drain, especially in the kitchen. It has an enzymatic formula, meaning it’s free of bleach and sodium hydroxide. It works by digesting the material and turning it into a biodegradable liquid, according to the brand.
This non-corrosive formula helps to dissolve hair, grease and soap scum. It can be used on all types of pipes, including copper and PVC, and has no harsh fumes, according to the brand. To use, pour eight ounces down your drain. Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes and then flush with hot water. Let the solution sit in your drain overnight before rinsing for stubborn clogs.
Use this on slow-draining sinks and tubs. This odorless chemical drain cleaner works in as quickly as 60 seconds. Unlike the other formulas on this list, which are all liquid, this one is a solid. Shake the crystals down your drain, sit for a few minutes and run hot water. One thing to note: It’s really important to run the water for a while to fully flush out the crystals — missing any could lead to corroded pipes.
One of the more popular drain cleaning brands on the market, Liquid-Plumr has various options. This one is specially formulated to clear hair clogs in plastic and metal pipes. The oxidizing cleaner also works on food particles but will not clear grease. To clear a clogged drain using this product, pour the entire bottle down the drain, wait 15 minutes and flush with hot water.
This unique formula is a cross between a caustic cleaner and a mild enzyme cleaner. According to the brand, it should be used on hair or grease clogs. It cannot remove food or toilet paper clogs. One bottle of drain cleaner provides two applications. Just pour half the bottle down your drain, let it sit overnight and then rinse with hot water in the morning.
Bio-Clean fits the bill. It uses a combo of naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes to clear grease, hair, soap scum, food and paper. To use this product, you’ll mix up to three tablespoons of it with up to three pints of water, then use that water to flush the clogged drain.
Gary Hickel, the service plumbing manager at Accurate Mechanical Inc., recommends trying the brand Zep to clear drains at home. This powder works on toilets and sinks, though it isn’t recommended for heavy hair clogs, according to the brand. Hickel recommends using drain cleaners like this quarterly as regular maintenance to keep drains working properly.
There are several types of drain cleaners that use different ingredients to clear out multiple types of clogs. These are the common types of drain cleaners you’ll come across:
No matter what formula you use, they tend to have similar instructions. You’ll need to pour the cleaner down the clogged drain, wait a certain amount of time (usually 15 to 30 minutes) and then run hot water down the drain to flush out any remaining matter.
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I am a commerce editor at NBC Select who covers beauty, home and lifestyle. I’ve written about nail care, toilet bowl cleaners, beef tallow as moisturizer and more. For this story, I interviewed cleaning and plumbing experts about the best drain cleaners.
Cory Fernandez is a commerce editor at NBC Select, where he writes about kitchen, home appliances and cleaning. He’s written about how to clean hardwood floors, the best shower cleaners and more. He contributed additional reporting for this story.
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