Why You Shouldn't Use the Chemical Drain Cleaners that are Widely Available

The caustic chemical class of drain cleaners continues to be sold and used although they are extremely hazardous. A caustic is the opposite of an acid—it's highly alkaline—but alkalinity and acidity can be equally as dangerous if they fall outside a tolerable Ph. All substances, from human sweat to seawater to battery acid can be rated on the Ph scale, and anything very acidic or very alkaline causes damage to humans, animals, plants, soil, air and water. The Earth and all her creatures prefer a Ph in the middle of the range. If you have ever taken an Alka Seltzer or drunk a spoonful in a glass of water for a stomach distress

("acid stomach"), you have used an extremely mild alkaline solution to balance your over-acidified tummy. When you squeeze lime juice into your beer or put vinegar on your salad, you are using extremely mild acids to accent the flavor of your foods. These are the safe chemicals—things like battery acid or lye, on the further ends of the Ph scale, can kill.

Knowing that Ph is a vital part of the Earth's balance, it seems insane that corporations continue to produce, market and sell chemical drain cleaner products whose effect is so toxic! And the drain cleaners most of us have grown up with, the ones advertised on TV are indeed dangerous. But it's also amazing what people will do for money, and the sales continue. Everyone knows the products are unsafe: look at the back labels, covered with warnings!

Bookmark this page
(or type Ctrl + D)

Email this page to a friend

Natural Drain Cleaner for Clogged Drains

The first thing you need to know before working on a clogged drain is that the drain cleaners you see advertised on TV or on the supermarket shelves are made of dangerous chemicals that will eat through rubber gloves, skin, certain kinds of pipe, wood and anything else they touch. If their fumes are inhaled, they can cause damage to the lungs, nose and mouth. If they are eaten, they will kill, even in small amounts. Even when they are used "properly", they can ruin septic systems, pollute groundwater, and destroy pipes.

For a more healthy and safe alternative, try a natural drain cleaner, such as Drainbo, that is made from natually occuring bacteria that will fix a clogged drain, but won't hurt your drain pipes or the environment.

Drain & Plumbing Resources

	Drain Cleaner
	Plungers
	Drain Openers
	Septic Systems
	Basic Drainage Systems
	Drain Cleaning & Home Repair
	Return Home

Continue reading the next drains and plumbing article on Plungers.

Drains and Plumbing | Plumbing Directory