Do Liquid Drain Cleaners Really Work?

Liquid Drain Cleaners & Clogs

So, you have a clog. Should you head to your local hardware store and pick up a bottle of liquid drain cleaner or call a plumber? Well, it depends. Most plumbers will advise against using such products , except in certain situations, and even then with a cautionary warning. Thankfully, there’s a natural alternative to harsh chemical cleaners when a call to a plumber isn’t warranted.

The Danger of Popular Liquid Drain Cleaners and Products

For starters, Drano can work for small drain cleaning jobs in a sink or a shower, but you’re always taking a risk. Drano and comparable chemical drain cleaners can cause serious damage over time to your plumbing systems.

If you have plastic pipes, the harsh chemicals in many popular liquid drain-cleaning products can eat away at them quickly. If you have metal piping, chemicals can remain inside the pipes and corrode the metal over time, especially if you use these cleaners frequently.

Liquid Drain Cleaners Can Do Damage

If you have recurring clogs, it’s always best to call a drain repair professional. It’s better to be on the safe side than to have to re-pipe your entire home. For the occasional sink or drain clog, a liquid drain cleaner could fit the bill, but it comes at a potential price. If you do try a home-use product to attempt to clear a clog and it doesn’t work, call a plumbing professional to assess the problem.

Under no circumstances should a liquid drain cleaner be used in a toilet. When you put a synthetic chemical in a toilet, it can remain in the tank for quite some time. The chemicals can settle into the porcelain, which can heat up and crack the bowl or cause an explosion—possibly requiring a whole bathroom remodel. If a plunger can’t do the job, a quick call to a plumber can resolve most toilet clogs right away—and it costs a lot less than having to replace everything.

BioBen®: A Safer Alternative

While drain cleaners rely on synthetic chemicals to clear clogged pipes, BioBen® is a natural biological drain line, septic and grease trap cleaner that many plumbers endorse. It’s available in liquid or powder formulations without harmful chemicals or additives.

With its emphasis on human and environmental health, BioBen® Liquid formulation also meets the EPA’s DfE challenge for biological drain line and septic system products. See how it works in this YouTube video.

If you’re unsure as to whether or not you can handle drain cleaning on your own, give us a call. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing offers complete drain cleaning services in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas, McKinney, Plano, Collin County, and surrounding metroplex areas. We’re proud to offer emergency plumbing service 24/7.