Drain Cleaners

Hazardous Ingredients

Hydrochloric acid, lye (sodium or potassium hydroxide), sodium hypochlorite, sodium nitrate, sulfuric acid, trichlorobenzene, trichloroethane

Irritant, highly corrosive

Use according to label instructions. Avoid adding a drain opener to a toilet bowl that contains toilet bowl cleaners.
Do not mix with bleach.
Do not allow to splash or touch skin or eyes.
Cover exposed skin and wear chemical splash goggles and heavy rubber gloves.
Avoid breathing vapors. Keep container lid tightly closed when not in use and store in a locked cabinet or out of reach of children.

Best: Use up or give away. Dispose of empty container in the garbage.
Second Best: Hold for a household hazardous waste collection. In Oregon, call 1-800-732-9253 to find out if there is a hazardous waste collection event scheduled in your community, or call your garbage hauler, local government solid waste department or the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at (503) 229-5913 or toll-free at 1-800-452-4011.

An ounce of prevention will save you pounds of trouble. Use a drain strainer to trap food particles and hair. Collect grease in cans instead of pouring it down the drain. Pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain weekly to melt fat that may be building up.
Remove the trap and clean out the obstruction with a plunger and/or a plumber’s snake.
For clogged kitchen drains, pour ½ cup of baking soda, followed by ½ cup of vinegar, down the drain. Cover drain and let sit 15 minutes. Rinse with 2 quarts of boiling water. The pressure created
by the heat of the chemical reaction is often enough to open a clogged drain.
A good preventive measure is to give your drains a weekly baking soda and vinegar treatment. It will also keep them smelling fresh.