Drains and Plumbing

Anatomy of a Clog – Clearing Drain Blockages Caused by Hair and Grease

Different drains have different types of blockages because they contain water used for different purposes. A clogged kitchen sink drain usually begins with a buildup of kitchen grease, which melts just fine in soapy water but then hardens on its way out of the sink, settling in layers on the inside wall of the drain. Other odds and ends—coffee grounds, bits of eggshell, the occasional smidgen of potato—find their way into the drain and become trapped in the greasy buildup, first slowing, then clogging the drain entirely with a blockage.
Bathroom drains are most often clogged with a combination of hair and soap scum. The hair itself doesn't pose much of a problem—when soap isn’t an issue, hair just slides down the drain. But the products we all use in the bathroom sink, shower and tub are laden with oils, waxes, and other substances that gum up inside the drain. Hair gets caught in the sticky mess, and before you know it, the drain is clogged.

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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.

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