Drain cleaner

A pipe cleaner or drain cleaner is usually a mixture of chemicals for the decomposition of blockages in drain pipes. The blockages are usually organic in origin, vegetable waste in the kitchen drain, oily skin debris, hair and soap scum in the bathtub or shower drain.

Scale ( calcification ) usually affects the supply lines with hot water and is therefore not target the drain cleaning.

The funds available commercially are divided into granules and liquid agents which act mostly on Alkaline ingredients. Newer pipe cleaners work on an enzymatic basis.

Inorganic drain cleaner

These drain cleaners generally contain highly corrosive, alkaline substances: sodium hydroxide ( NaOH) or potassium hydroxide ( KOH) (sometimes sodium hypochlorite), which together with water strong alkalis. The bases are able to hydrolyze fats ( and other polymeric pollution components such as proteins ) and to saponify. Other ingredients are often aluminum particles, chlorine compounds and oxidants. All ingredients are designed to break chemical bonds as effectively as possible, which usually leads to a dissolution of the occluding clot.

Granules

The granules coexist with alkaline substances from nitrate, sodium carbonate and aluminum granules. The aluminum is from the liquor, evolution of heat and formation of, inter alia, Oxidized hydrogen. The heat and gas development is to serve the physical relaxation of clogging hair and soap deposits. Since the resulting hydrogen gas with oxygen from the air into mixture too high explosive gases, one tries with the reduction of nitrate to bind the hydrogen to form ammonia. This becomes most pungent odor which arises in the application of pipe cleaners. Therefore, always ensure good ventilation during application.

In overdose, but may cause damage to drainage pipes made ​​of plastic, the heat, drain pipes made ​​of steel are more resistant. More caution is required in case of overdose, since it then a fortiori blockages can occur. The pipe cleaner clump becomes hard and the tube is made to complete.

Cash and cash equivalents

Liquid pipe cleaners usually consist of highly alkaline liquid substances containing sodium hypochlorite and where surfactants are added. Thus the mechanism of action is similar to that of the granules, at least as far as the main alkaline action. Since the physical component is missing, as in the granules, is set here to the fat dissolving power of the surfactants and the reactivity of sodium hypochlorite. A skimming through standing water, as it is mandatory in granules, is not required.

Biological Drain Cleaner

The non- corrosive and environmentally friendly alternative to commercial alkaline drain cleaners are biological detergent containing enzymes, which are able to break down fats and proteins ( for example, hair ) by hydrolysis. The advantage of the waste water harmless to purchased by the disadvantage of a long duration of action, often in the range of several hours to several days.

Biological pipe cleaning by the metabolism of organisms takes place to a certain extent an ongoing basis. Nutrients are converted by putrefactive bacteria, structures of plants (fruits and vegetables, wood, grass clippings ) are more or less softened slowly, so they can be easily washed away. Slimy biofilms on the walls of sewage ears are the constant hotbed of germs. Without abrasive cleaning a washing up bowl of brownish translucent biofilm grows slowly out of the opening of the drain valve.

Alternatives

However, there are more environmentally friendly solutions to remove pipe blockages:

• Mechanical means such as suction cups ( " Plunger " ) or pipe cleaning spiral
• Water hose: A hose that is inserted into the tube, formed for a water spiral that can be corrected with warm water mild constipation. On the other hand can also be attempted to break through the blockage. To prevent contamination of the drinking water faucet with germs out of the drain pipe, using a pipe interrupter may be useful.
• Air high pressure equipment. The high pressure of these devices, however, can solve pipe connections (pipes are often not screwed, but only with rubber seals inserted into each other ). Therefore, a tenant who uses high pressure equipment may pay even for water damage caused by loose pipes.

Precautions

Inorganic drain cleaners are among the most dangerous chemical household products. Most pipe cleaners are marked with an appropriate symbol. The strong bases pose a risk of serious burns to skin and eyes, but also if swallowed in pharynx, esophagus and stomach.

In the case of ingestion vomiting must be avoided, however, it must be tried to be diluted with tea, water or juice the bases. Medical help is urgently needed!

Furthermore, it is important when many products there is adequate ventilation during application due to the evolution of gas.