Choosing the Best Drain Cleaner and Drain Opener

Chemical treatments are products that you pour into a clogged sink, tub or shower. Typically heavier than water, they drop through standing water to get into the drain and reach the clog. Gel products are particularly thick and dense, allowing them to get through the water and to the clog quickly. Products with foaming action fill the pipe to allow the product to contact and attack the clog.

Used properly, chemical drain cleaners can soften and break up a clog caused by buildup or hair, allowing you to rinse the blockage away. Typical active ingredients include:

• Bases such as caustic potash (potassium hydroxide) or lye (sodium hydroxide)
• Oxidizing agents such as bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
• Acids such as sulfuric acid

Drain maintenance products, which are sometimes called sink drain cleaners, clear away buildup in pipes before it causes a clog. Removing this buildup can also improve slow sink drainage. Some of these products recommend regular use to keep pipes in good shape.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for using any drain or septic system product. Below are some things to keep in mind:

• Make sure the product is intended for your system. Note whether it's suitable for the type of pipes you have. If you have a septic tank, make sure the product is labeled for use with septic systems.
• Match the product to the type of clog you have and the fixture — sink, tub, shower or toilet — that's clogged.
• If one drain cleaner doesn't clear the clog, don't try a second type. Mixing chemicals can create toxic fumes.
• Wear safety gear, such as rubber gloves and eye protection, as recommended by the product manufacturer.
• Don't allow a drain cleaner to remain in the pipes longer than recommended by the manufacturer. Flush it out with water as directed.
• Don't let a drain cleaner contact finished surfaces, such as faucets, stoppers or drain trim.
• Don't use plungers, other tools to unclog a drain, or remove a P-trap after using a chemical drain cleaner. You could come into contact with chemicals that may still be present in the standing water. If the drain cleaner doesn't open the drain, contact a professional plumber.

A plunger — also known as a plumber's helper — is a common tool for opening sink, tub, shower and toilet drains. It's effective on clogs in the trap area of the drain line. The cup or bell combined with a plunging action creates suction in the pipe to break up or dislodge a clog. The deeper the cup or bell on a plunger, the more force it can apply. A plunger with a bellows or accordion design can generate even more force.

Plungers with a flat cup are best suited for sinks. Those with a funnel or cone extending from bottom of the cup are more effective on toilets.

Drain snakes, sometimes called drain sticks, are available in a variety of sizes and types and can be used to remove clogs from sinks, tubs and showers. Designed with flexible materials, like plastic or rubber, and hooks or barbs to catch clogs, they’re able to get into hard-to-reach areas to remove debris from your drain to keep things moving smoothly. Some snakes are washable and reusable. Due to the sharp edges on other types, manufacturers may specify a single use only and caution you to not attempt cleaning. Some chemical drain cleaners for sinks come packaged with a drain stick.

A hand auger — also known as a plumbing snake or plumbing auger — is useful on in-house plumbing. Use it for clearing clogs beyond the P-trap in sinks, tubs and showers. It has a flexible cable with a handle on one end and a sharp, coiled head on the other. As you rotate the cable and push it through the pipe, it bends to navigate turns. When you reach the blockage, the head bores through the clog. Obstructions, such as hair or paper, wind into the head, allowing you to remove them when you pull out the cable.

Drum models have a storage housing for the cable — the drum — and a handle that simplifies unwinding and winding. Some have a second, pistol-style grip for easier control, and others include an adapter that allows you to attach a power drill to turn the cable. A drum auger has a screw or lever that lets you lock the cable to push it around bends in the pipe and unlock it to unwind it farther into the pipe. Those with a lever are easier to lock and unlock.

A toilet or closet auger has a protective sleeve covering a portion of the cable to protect the toilet's porcelain finish and add rigidity to the cable. This tool has a shorter cable than other types of augers.

A sewer rod or tape auger functions in a similar fashion to an auger but is flat. It's stiffer than an auger, allowing you to push a blockage through the pipe. The rod may include a spear-type head to help force the clog down the pipe.

Pay attention to the length of the auger or sewer rod. More length means you can work on clogs deeper in the drain line.

A bladder uses a stream of water to break up clogs. Use it on in-house plumbing or a sewer main for clogs at least 6 inches from the insertion point. You need a helper with this tool. Attach it to a garden hose, and feed it into the pipe you need to clear. If you need to twist the hose while working with a bladder, turn it so it tightens in the bladder coupling rather than loosening and possibly disconnecting. When you reach the clog, have a helper turn on the water. The bladder fills with water and expands to lodge tightly in the pipe. Once the bladder is full, it discharges the water in a high-pressure stream to loosen the clog. Bladders come in different sizes to fit different pipe diameters. With an optional adapter, you can connect the garden hose to an indoor faucet rather than an exterior hose bib.