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Safe Drain Cleaners

Drain cleaners are among the most dangerous household products. The best way to avoid using caustic drain cleaners is to prevent clogs and buildups in the first place. Scrape dishes well before you put them in the sink, use a trap or screen to keep food scraps out, and don’t pour your cooking grease or oil down the drain. Grease builds up in your pipes and your community’s pipes, eventually blocking them and causing sewer leaks and spills. Instead, allow the grease or oil to cool and collect it in a sealable container, then throw it away or compost it.

Once a week, pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush it out. If the drain does become clogged, use a plunger, or try a simple, safe DIY recipe: Add one cup baking soda and one cup vinegar to a large pot of boiling water (they’ll fizz) and pour down the drain; the combination will dissolve fatty, greasy clogs. Flush with tap water until it clears.

You can also try one of the several nontoxic, enzyme-based drain cleaners on the market, such as Earth Friendly Products' Natural Earth Enzymes Drain Opener.

Posted by GreenClean at July 21, 2005 02:07 PM