Are Bio Drain Cleaners Safe To Pour Down Your Pipes?

What’s the first thing you do when you notice your sink is draining slowly? Chances are, you reach for those chemical-based drain cleaners – you know the ones, where you dump a little bit of this extremely hazardous material down the pipes and supposedly everything is clear again.

Everyone wants the quick solution when it comes to their drains, which is understandable, but dumping those chemical-based cleaners down your pipes can often do more trouble than good.

Those liquid drain cleaners, which shall remain nameless, can sometimes have the power to eat away at enough of the clog to get things flowing again, however much of that buildup will remain and you could soon find yourself in the exact same predicament. If you pour it down and it doesn’t break up the clog, it’ll instead just sit in your line at the problem and, over time, it’ll begin to eat away at the pipe – at which point you'll have a much greater problem on your hands. Sometimes, people will dump several doses down and if all of that sits in the pipe, it creates a hazard for the professional who has to solve the problem and could lead to skin burns.

Instead, it’s recommended to go with an alternative solution, something supposedly designed with your pipes and drainage system in mind – so do bio drain cleaners actually work?

How Exactly Do Bio Drain Cleaners Work?

Bio drain cleaners might appear similar to their chemical-based counterparts but they’re actually much different, using bacteria to consume organic substances instead of highly-acidic material.

Despite the fact that chemical-based drain cleaners and bio drain cleaners look similar, the way that each works couldn’t be more different. Sure, both come in a bottle and both claim to remove small clogs from your bathtub, shower or sink, however bio drain cleaners don’t use caustic or highly-acidic material in the hopes of eating away at the clog. What they do use is a specially-engineered type of bacteria that consumes the organic material sitting in your pipes.

There are actually two different kinds of bio drain cleaners – one is a liquid and one is a powder. Both are effective and the only real difference is their shelf life. The dry powder lasts much longer than the liquid, since the bacteria in the solution will interact with one another. But, no matter which one you choose, the functionality of the bacteria is essentially the same.

As it grows and spreads, the bacteria will eat away at the clog and anything else in your drainage system. Once there’s nothing left for it to feast upon, it dies and then gets washed away by your wastewater. Throughout the entire process, it won’t damage your line, so you never have to worry about it eroding or corroding the inside of the pipe, like its counterpart.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Bio Drain Cleaners?

There are a variety of benefits to using bio drain cleaners, the most important is it’s safe to humans, pets and pipes alike. It’s safe on skin, non-toxic if ingested and won't eat at your line.

Other than it being safe on your pipes, rather than potentially eating away at them, bio drain cleaners have other benefits. The biggest benefit is that it’s safe for both humans and pets! Unlike the chemical-based stuff, there’s no threat of causing burns if it comes into contact with the skin. It’s also non-toxic because, let’s face it, sometimes our children and pets magically get into things. Eating a little bio drain cleaner isn’t harmful – you won’t have to rush to the hospital.

No matter what you pour down your drain, there’s no guarantee it’ll work, especially if you're dealing with a monstrous clog! Give Zoom Drain a call and have them inspect your line and make sure it’s flowing its best, then you can use our own bio drain cleaner, Zoom Drain Bio, to remain proactive when it comes to gunk, buildup and grime that can make your drains sluggish. Want to know more about Zoom Drain Bio or any of our drain cleaning services? Give Zoom Drain a call or schedule an appointment online – our experts are available around the clock.