Drain Cleaners

Hands in yellow rubber gloves pour sewer pipe cleaner down the k

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

Potential hazards:
Irritant, highly corrosive

Use and storage:

  • 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.

Disposal:

  • 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.

Alternatives for general cleaning:

  • 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.

For LOADS of green cleaning suggestions, we recommend:
"The Naturally Clean Home: 150 Super-Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning" by Karyn Siegel-Maier

Back to Green Home Cleaning Campaign home page

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