A clogged drain is one of the basic plumbing problems at homes and commercial buildings. Chemical drain cleaners are equally used at a commercial and residential level for drain cleaning because they quickly remove stubborn blockages. Although chemical drain cleaners are so effective they are highly dangerous for health, the environment, and the pipes. Intense chemical drain cleaners are so hard that they harm the environment’s health and water pipes.
How do chemical drain cleaners harm the environment?
It is not surprising that chemical drain cleaners harm the environment and your health. They destroy the natural world after going down the drain. Usually, chemical cleaners leave long-term side effects on the environment in form of bacterial destruction and aquatic toxicity. When you use dangerous chemical drain cleaners, they enter into the surrounding waters after leaving your drain system. As a result, they harm the environment in the following ways:
- Damage to the wildlife in form of tissue impairment
- Change PH levels
- Cause sudden death of wild animals on ingestion without dilution
- Affects the reproductive, endocrine, and developmental systems of wildlife
- Harm the air quality by releasing VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). In urban areas, volatile organic compounds are one of the major sources of air pollution.
How do chemical drain cleaners harm your health?
Prolonged exposure to chemical drain cleaners put a harmful effect on your health. Have you ever checked the ingredients mentioned on these drain cleaners? If you notice, you will see a scary list of harmful chemicals. In routine life, people experience serious injuries caused by the drain cleaners such as:
- Cutaneous burns
- Painful skin grafting
- Blindness
- Respiratory problems
Sulfuric acid is a chemical that produces toxic fumes that are highly harmful to health. These toxic chemicals can also produce mustard gas when comes into contact with water. Dangerous drain cleaners have strong chemicals that break down clogs, food products, and skin debris. Similarly, drain cleaners harm your skin and eyes upon contact.
How do chemical drain cleaners harm plumbing pipes?
Have you ever thought that chemical drain cleaners are unsafe for your plumbing pipes? Usually, people are unaware of their side effects. You do not bother to think about their drawbacks due to the following benefits of drain cleaners. Drain cleaners:
- Effectively clean stubborn blocked debris
- Remove gunk
- Eliminate residual buildup
- Eradicate clogs produced by paper or plastic products, nail or hair clippings, overly-fibrous or starchy food products, fragments of animal bones, animal fats, and cooking oils.
Drain cleaners are helpful in the short run but produce long-run harm. These drain cleaners can produce a chemical reaction that is damaging to your plumbing pipes. Such chemical reactions produce high heat that can melt your plastic pipe. Drain cleaning is an everyday issue. Therefore, do not go for regular use of chemical drain cleaners. Regular use of chemical drain cleaners results in a plumbing disaster. It damages pipes in the following ways:
- Inner pipe walls impairment
- Corrosion within pipes
- Pipe collapse
You cannot fix these problems with DIY solutions. You will need a higher renovation cost to repair your plumbing fixtures. Never mix various cleaners because they can produce a chemical reaction.
Unsafe Chemical Drain Cleaners
EWC has issued a list of unsafe chemical drain cleaners that are hazardous to the environment, home, and your health. The most unsafe drain cleaners are given below:
- Ammonia-centered cleaners: Ammonia is a major ingredient in cleaning products. Ammonia causes diseases like asthma and chronic bronchitis. Ammonia –bleach mixup produces poisonous fumes. These poisonous fumes generate harmful results immediately.
- Nonylphenol Ethoxylate-based cleaners: Nonylphenol Ethoxylate is a highly poisonous substance. It is usually found in the composition of floor leaners like Span and Spic. It damages the human hormone system. Moreover, it is lethal for aquatic life. In some countries, Nonylphenol Ethoxylate-based products are banned due to their toxic after-effects.
- Bleach: Sodium hydroxide (bleach) is commonly used in cleaning products. Its use is very common in homes. It is a great irritant. An alkaline-like bleach with a pH>12 gives dangerous results. Acid-bleach mix-up results in a chemical reaction called neutralization. It causes corrosion to plumbing pipes. Moreover, bleach kills the bacteria that are necessary for septic tanks’ operation.
- Laundry Detergent-Ajax Liquid: Ajax liquid is composed of formaldehyde that causes an allergic reaction, irritation, and asthma in humans.
- Comet Powder- Antiseptic: Comet Powder releases chemicals like toluene, chloroform, benzene, and formaldehyde that cause asthmatic disorders and cancer. Moreover, these chemicals corrode plumbing pipes.
- Drano: Professional plumbers advise to not use heavy chemical products. Drano is a heavy chemical-based product that could damage your plumbing pipes. It is commonly used to dissolve clog materials, oils, hair, and other organic matters. It gives a nasty chemical burn. Moreover, it can persist in the drain for a longer time. It reacts with water violently. It results in a boil out or eruption.
Safe Cleaning Alternatives
Always use non-toxic chemicals and safe products at your home. Following are the safe cleaning alternatives that you can be used easily at home for cleaning purposes:
- Vinegar and Baking Soda Mixtures: Vinegar and baking soda mixtures are non-toxic. You can clear clogs by DIY techniques using this mixture. It removes rigid clogs by reacting within the drain pipes. The reaction of this mixture is not dangerous at all.
- Acidic Soda Products: Soda products have natural acids and high carbonation that produces chemical reaction to clean. You can easily remove clogged debris with the help of acidic soda products. It breaks down blocked debris with zero risk. Acidic soda products do not involve any risk.
- Borax: It is a mildew cleaner. Usually, it is used by mixing with baking soda. Borax and baking soda mixture give better results. You can also clean upholstery products and carpets with borax. To clean these products, make a mixture of warm water, lemon juice, liquid soap, and borax. This mixture works great.
If you are facing some problem in drain cleaning, then call a professional. A plumbing professional will help you to remove debris and clogs from plumbing pipes. Compound Services, Battle Ground uses cleaning products that are safe to the environment, health, and your pipes. We use safe alternatives and non-toxic mixtures. Compound Services is always available for your help.