Best Drain Cleaner

[nmanning19]

My house has some problems with drainage of kitchen and tub drains, they always back up, I have tried drano and vinega and baking soda, they work temporarily but would like a permanent fix, any suggestions?

 

[nmanning19]

anyone?

 

[msmayor]

We had an issue with one of our tubs draining very slowly...no drain cleaner would work.

A friend came over, removed the stopper and started running the water. Then he took our plunger and 'plunged' the drain a few times. Cleared the obstruction and ever since the tub has drained beautifully!

It was a clog of gunk stuck in the trap that just refused to clear with the chemicals.

 

[Gina]

I always have intermittent trouble with my bathtub drain from my long hair clogging it up, and I use the Zip-It drain tool. Just a long plastic flexible stick thingy with "teeth" that point back up toward you. It is truly disgusting the stuff that gets pulled out with that thing... but then the drain works just perfectly. This is it:

http://safetycentral.com/zipitdrcltoi.html

It says $4.99 there, but I've found it for under 4 bucks at Ace Hardware. Mine usually lasts close to a year before the teeth just get worn out and I have to get a new one. Works great, and best of all, no smelly chemicals!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I always have intermittent trouble with my bathtub drain from my long hair clogging it up, and I use the Zip-It drain tool. Just a long plastic flexible stick thingy with "teeth" that point back up toward you. It is truly disgusting the stuff that gets pulled out with that thing... but then the drain works just perfectly. This is it:

http://safetycentral.com/zipitdrcltoi.html

It says $4.99 there, but I've found it for under 4 bucks at Ace Hardware. Mine usually lasts close to a year before the teeth just get worn out and I have to get a new one. Works great, and best of all, no smelly chemicals!

Check this out ~ I'm impressed *nasty* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_TtfTL4yo

 

[Cruise]

Check this out ~ I'm impressed *nasty* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_TtfTL4yo

It's never a good idea to wash the pet Yeti in the bathtub.....

 

[beccab]

We have chronic clogged drains (kinda like my sinuses) in our 67yr old home. It happens at least once a year. Once when we were desparate, we found a Co 2 plunger at Home Depot and decided to give it a try. It comes with a cO 2 cartridge. When you use this, firmly cover the main hole with the plunger and seal any other drainage holes in the sink or even a nearby bathtub drain that the air can escape from. It delivers a huge burst of air down the drain and opens it up. We're glad we tried it. It has saved us a lot of money. So far it hasn't failed to work.

 

[ceroarty]

I always have intermittent trouble with my bathtub drain from my long hair clogging it up, and I use the Zip-It drain tool. Just a long plastic flexible stick thingy with "teeth" that point back up toward you. It is truly disgusting the stuff that gets pulled out with that thing... but then the drain works just perfectly. This is it:

http://safetycentral.com/zipitdrcltoi.html

It says $4.99 there, but I've found it for under 4 bucks at Ace Hardware. Mine usually lasts close to a year before the teeth just get worn out and I have to get a new one. Works great, and best of all, no smelly chemicals!

They sell these at Walmart for about $2.75.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

It's never a good idea to wash the pet Yeti in the bathtub.....

I lose so much hair in the shower ~ it's nasty - I'm surprised I'm not bald

 

[Ladyhawke]

My house has some problems with drainage of kitchen and tub drains, they always back up, I have tried drano and vinega and baking soda, they work temporarily but would like a permanent fix, any suggestions?

Sometimes the drain cleaners, especially the simple "home remedy" ones make a situation worse as they only loosen up a clog so water flows through again, but don't get rid of it completely. They tend to clog back up after a few weeks as more stuff settles next to the pre-existing clog.

 

[dfchelbay]

Check this out ~ I'm impressed *nasty* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_TtfTL4yo

OMG, that video made me want to vomit...ugh! Hair skeeves me out in the worst way.

 

[bucket o' butter]

That had to be one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen. But I am going to go out and buy one today because our tub and sink drain very slowly.

 

[momtosam]

OMG, OMG, OMG! That video is so nasty!!

 

[nmanning19]

I bought one of the zip its at Walmart today and did not work, nothing came out!!

 

[StephMK]

Thanks for the suggestion of the zip-it, ours runs slow sometimes too.

Hopefully you do not have the problem that I had in my old condo. There were tree roots growing into the sewage drain & it made things clog up. The condo people ripped up the bath floor but there is also stuff you can buy to pour down the drains to kill the roots. I'm not sure how you figure it out unless a plumber runs a snake or camera down the drains though.

 

[Leajess99]

I use plain bleach. Pour it down the drain and leave it be. Then rinse with extremely HOT water. Catch the cold water in a bucket so it does not go down the drain as if it does it will make a bigger problem. This advice was given to a friend from the plumber they hired.

 

[dyna]

I seen the zip it at home depot a couple weeks ago dh told me to wait till we move to our new house but I think if i find it before the move I'll buy one an leave it here for DD as she is buying my house.

 

[Gigi22]

Bleach, about 1 c. per drain. Leave for 30 min. Run hot water. This is preventive, more than anything.
Do not use Draino on a regular, repeated basis.
The people who first owned our house managed to wear away a weak spot in the copper piping in the laundry room by using Draino. They created an intermittent leak in the laundry ceiling--we had to have a plumber come in, cut a hole in the ceiling, and replace the pipe.