You asked: Is it OK to pour boiling water down shower drain?

Sometimes you can clear a clog in metal pipes by simply emptying a kettle of boiling water down the drain, a little at a time. You can pour the water down the drain without removing the shower drain cover. Do not pour boiling water down PVC pipes, which can be damaged by the heat.

Is pouring boiling water down the drain bad?

Using enough boiling water to unclog a drain could damage your pipes. Unless you use gallons of boiling water, it’s going to cool off as it flows down a room temperature plumbing system. If you do use gallons of boiling water, you are likely to distort the tubular drains and their seals under the fixture.

Is it safe to pour boiling water down PVC pipes?

Warning. Do not pour the boiling water directly into a porcelain sink, but a down the drain. And do not use boiling water if you have plastic (PVC) pipes since water hotter than 140 F can soften some types of PVC pipe. For plastic pipes, attempt to clear the clog using a plunger.

Can Lye damage PVC pipes?

Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail.

Can Coca Cola unclog a drain?

Pour a 2-liter bottle of cola — Pepsi, Coke, or generic brand substitutes — down the clogged drain. Coke is actually quite caustic and effective at clearing away buildup in your drains, but it’s far milder than commercial drain cleaners.

What is black gunk in bathroom sink drain?

The “creepy black stuff” in your drain is made up of a combination of things, mostly decomposing hair, soap scum, toothpaste grit, shaving cream residue, skin cells, etc. … If you have a drain snake, then get it out and snake the drain.

Does salt and boiling water unclog drains?

Water & Salt

Pour a few cups of boiling water down your drain, then follow it with a two tablespoons of Epsom salt. Let it sit for a minute, and follow with another few cups of boiling water. The water and salt mixture should help break up the clog.

Is it safe to put baking soda and vinegar down the drain?

Pour boiling water down the drain again. The bubbling reaction from the baking soda and vinegar helps to loosen the drain clog, and the boiling water in step 4 helps remove it from your pipes. Baking soda and vinegar can serve as a natural drain cleaner.

Should I use boiling water with Drano?

If it’s bubbling, that means it is working. Cover the area and then let sit for about 15 minutes. When the bubbling subsides, you can pour hot water down the drain. If you have plastic pipes, do not use boiling water as it can melt them.

Does vinegar unclog drains?

Fortunately, if caught early you can clear a clogged drain using common household items. Vinegar, baking soda, borax, and lots of hot water are simple, yet effective tools in clearing slow-draining sinks.

Does vinegar hurt plumbing?

If you want to try a home-based chemical remedy, try vinegar and baking soda. They pose no danger whatsoever to your pipes. … The baking soda and vinegar will react, creating pressure inside the drain. It is recommended to wait at least 15 minutes or so, before checking to see if the clog is cleared.

Is bleach safe for PVC pipes?

Though PVC piping can resist 100-percent sodium hypochlorite, it’s always a good idea to use diluted bleach or a bleach solution. Dilute liquid bleach with water using a 1:2 or 1:4 ratio when cleaning the outside of your PVC pipes. You can also safely use calcium hypochlorite, or bleaching powder, on PVC pipes as well.