[boss1234]

HI,
Went to home depot yesterday and found various chemicals available claiming hair and grease dissolve, was curious if those really works? Or to have drain cleaned? I have no clogs yet but just feeling that water goes really slowly and also have lot of hair falling.
Thanks

[speedball1]

As a repair plumber I have never recommended using harsh chemicals. In your drainage system. Besides they only seem to work in TV commercials and when you try to remove the water you could burn your hands or damage your eyes. I prefer to snake a drain line m uself but if chemicals are your thing then Try this for your drain. Tonight before bedtime pour 1/2 gallon of bleach down the drain and let it set over night. Next morning, ( and this is important ) flush the mess out with two large pans of boiling water.
The bleach will start to dissolve the hair and make it slippery and the boiling water will melt the grease and flush it away. Good luck, Tom

[boss1234]

What is the best remedy you suggest Mark for the drain maintenance? As I have too many hair falling. Drain cleaning service cost me too much and not a good idea to call often if there are no clogs. I am just concern about not getting clog in future to avoid any inconvenience and maintain drain in good condition.

[speedball1]

Go you wannt me to delete my answer and wait for Mark to answer?

[boss1234]

Nope. I am sorry for the confusion in name. I am a new member. Please accept my apology

[speedball1]

No problem No apology needed, I thought you were unhappy with my solution and thought Mark might have a better one. If what you're looking for is a recommendation for a commercial drain cleaner perhaps we had better wait for Mark. I have never used them. I uas a snake instead. Bleach is about the strongest chemical I recommend to my customers.
If you really wish to maintain your drains purchase a hand held snake. Good luck, Tom

[boss1234]

Where can I find hand held snake? How it works? And which brand is better?

[speedball1]

Where can I find hand held snake?

There manual snakes and power snakes.(see imges) Home Depot would be a good place to start looking.

how it works?

You remove the "J" bend from the trap and send the snake up imto the wall,(see image). For other applications just ask.
Regards, Tom

[boss1234]

That was a great help! Thanks for everything.

[creahands]

Hi Tom

Would bleach be OK to use in disposal or would it be too caustic.

Tks

Chuck

[speedball1]

Hi Tom

Would bleach be OK to use in disposal or would it be too caustic.

Tks

Chuck

Bleach is not caustic like lie. You run a lot of stuff nastier then bleach in your disposal. I have never had a complaint back from using bleach as a drain cleaner.. For a disposal I use 3 or 4 ice cubes followed by a lemon cut in quarters. Cheers, tom

[Milo Dolezal]

As other Experts said, I also, never recommend chemicals for drain cleaning. Watch what you put into drains and use lots of water to flush down dirt, hair, soap, and body oil after each sink use to minimize drain clogs. You can also use additional strainer that fits over your drain to catch most of the hair before it gets into the drain.

[creahands]

Thanks Tom

Chuck

[massplumber2008]

Hi Boss...

Since my name popped up... ;)

As others above mention... usually drain cleaners work short-term or not at all.

Tom covered the drain cleaning, but I wanted to drop in and mention the first thing I do when a customer tells me they have lots of hair falling out.

First thing I do is to remove the stopper from the pop-up assembly and then clean the stopper itself and then use a any long tool to remove and soap/scum/hair that may have built up on the sides of the pop-up assembly/drain pipe. Here, remove the retaining nut and pull back on the horizontal pivot rod to allow you to remove the stopper itself from inside the sink. I follow through with a hot water flush (stopper still out) and that will sometimes fix everything. The retainer nut must be re-tightened before flushing or it will leak underneath when flushing. After the flush, remove the retaining nut again, install the stopper and insert the horizontal pivot rod into the hole in stopper and re-assemble all.

If that doesn't improve things dramatically, time to get out that snake and go fishin'... :)

Good luck...

MARK

[boss1234]

Thanks a lot!
Sorry didn't get time to check the answer for a while... as was out on vacation!
That worked.

[pissed at Scotc]

Two weeks ago I emailed Scotch Corporation about Instant Power Hair & Grease Drain Opener requesting a refund because the product did not work. Since then I haven't heard back from them.

At about the same time I emailed S C Johnson about Drano, also requesting a refund because their product did not work either.

S C Johnson have already emailed me a check.

Now the funny thing is that unlike Scotch Corporation, S C Johnson does not advertise they guarantee the product will work or money back. They simply do it!

Kudos for S C Johnson and shame on Scotch Corporation.

[kwhit190211]

Like some of the pro's here suggest I wouldn't suggest using chemicals for amateurs. As they come with risks depending on what you use. If you have a very slow moving drain and if you use Draino & products like that you have the possilitity of making it worse as it can plug the drain up with a lye plug. You see the problem is the lye when it comes into contact with grease it will make soap & will plug up your drain with a caustic plug which is really bad for you if you take it apart. Now you have to deal with the lye on your hands.
Personally, being as though I worked in the industrial for a lot of years & I am experienced with the stuff, I use acid. But, if you decide to use this method you have to wear eye protection in the form of safety glases with side shields and acid approved mono-goggles, rubber gloves & acid resistant clothing.