I’ve got a clogged sink, and have been reading the labels on a bunch of different products lately. I’d always assumed that they were a strong acid of sorts, which would dissolve whatever sort of material was built up in the pipes. But I’ve noticed that a lot of these products specify that they’re non-corrosive, so I’m not sure what other sort of mechanism may be at play here.
A lot of these use strong bases, like sodium hydroxide, that will dissolve fats and proteins but leave most metals and plastics unharmed. (except aluminum)
You’re correct, and that’s why sometimes they work really well and sometimes they make the problem much worse and profoundly annoy the plumber you’ll eventually call to fix the issue.
A strong base + lipids stuck together in a pipe means a solid block of soap after a while, sometimes too big and clogged to be effectively rinsed with water, meaning you just made the blockage worse.
Most drain cleaners are not acids but bases - same basic idea but the other end of the pH scale. Bleach is an example of a corrosive base you’re probably familiar with. Bases were used because they were more compatible with the solder that connected copper pipes in older homes. For non-corrosive cleaners they fall into a couple classes:
Fizzy things. These loosen clogs by bubbling them apart. They are typically made by mixing a weak acid with a base - hello vinegar and baking soda! The acid may help a bit with dissolving some clogs. These can take a while
Enzyme based cleaners. An active enzyme will digest some of the bonds in hair and other components of the clog. These can take hours to be effective so don’t be in a rush.
Temperature based. Fats often make up a big component of clogs. Something as simple as boiling water can do a lot to loosen up a clog. There are fancier mixtures that will warm up the pipe to try to get things flowing.
Bases were used because they were more compatible with the solder that connected copper pipes in older homes.
Bases are much more effective at breaking up organic matter than acids. You can pour concentrated acid on your hand to little effect if you rinse it off quickly. You will not be able to do this with strong bases (think that scene from Fight Club). Strong bases rapidly destroy organic matter.
If you need to dissolve a body, use lye, not some acid.
Yep. Strong bases feel soapy to the touch, not because they are, but because they’re literally turning your skin into soap almost instantly.
I learned this about bleach a while back! I remember wondering why bleach felt slimy to the touch, even though it looked like it had roughly the same consistency as water. Turns out it wasn’t the bleach that was slimy, it was me. I am the slime.
I’ve stuck my hand in sulfuric acid and lye. No problem. You will instantly locate each and every microscopic cut on your hand. Sulfuric reacts with water to dilute instantly. Lye OTOH, yeah, takes a minute to get that off. But you will never see your hands so perfectly clean!
And if y’all mess with either, wear some damned goggles. A glass of water to the eye will quickly fix sulfuric, but you’re screwed if you splash lye in there.
If you have PVC drains (probably unless very old) most likely you can unscrew the fittings by hand, very simple. Take the trap off (the curved part) and just pull out the clog. It’s not hard at all, take photos as you dismantle it if you’re worried about remembering how it goes back together.
Just to add, alkaline substances turn fats into soap, making them not only dissolve in water, but also help dissolving the surrounding fat.
Acids are much more harmful to metals, and wouldn’t have this effect.
Get a drain snake; they work way better than any chemical solution.
*in that one country that inexplicably banned the installation of bottle traps
This will not work in modern plumbing
Show a yank this picture and watch them start frothing at the mouth and shrieking about “muh code” 😂
