Why plumbers steer clear of caustic drain cleaners
Caustic drain cleaners promise an easy fix for a slow sink. Why plumbers rarely use them, the risks to you and your pipes, and what clears a blockage instead.
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Key takeaways
- Caustic cleaners can soften a little grease or hair near the plughole. They can't shift wipes, roots, a sagging pipe or a blockage further down the line.
- When they fail, they leave a sink or pipe full of corrosive water that splashes when someone plunges or opens it. Always tell your plumber what you used.
- Product Safety Australia lists caustic soda-based drain cleaners among the products to be wary of around young children. For a poisoning, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
- Plumbers clear blockages mechanically, with drain machines, jetters and cameras, and find the cause so it doesn't come back.
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