Dangers of Chemical Drain Cleaning Solutions

Drain cleaners are chemicals:

Homeowners often ignore the fact that most drain cleaners contain dangerous chemicals. Chemical drain cleaners are widely used to clean, disinfect and for sanitizing purposes. It is a very common practice to use chemical cleaners for a clogged drain. After all, these cleaners act fast and effectively than any of those DIY products.

However, such types of cleaners can cause potential health hazards if swallowed or when come in contact with the eyes and skin. Using a good pair of nitrile gloves is highly recommended when using these chemical drain cleaners. Other safety equipments include protective eye gears and protective mask. Users can always use those full face masks or shield while using and handling such chemical cleaners.

Types of drain cleaners:

The chemical drain cleaners include three general categories: sodium hydroxide based, sodium hypochlorite based and products with caustic bases. These products contain chemical reagents in various degrees of concentration. Although these chemicals don’t react with the metal pipes, these can cause chemical reactions with rubber and many other materials.

When these chemical cleaners are used, they react with soap scum, grease, hair and other clogged items. This helps the drain to stay clog-free and clean. The poisonous ingredient present in most such drain cleaners is Sodium hydroxide.

Dangers of chemical drain cleaning products:

As you already know that chemical drain cleaning products often contain sodium hydroxide, these can cause mild to severe abdominal pain when ingested. Chemical reaction of this ingredient with other chemicals can release harmful gases, which may cause severe breathing problem and throat swelling.

Diarrhea and mouth pain are other harmful effects of these chemical cleaners. Accidental contact with eye can lead to loss of vision. Skin lesions, severe burns and tissue damage are some of the harmful effects of these chemical cleaners on the skin.

Solution:

Instead of using these harmful chemicals to clean your drain, you can install a garbage disposal system in your home. Our plumbing company offers full installation of garbage disposal systems in households. We use some of the highest quality and branded products.

A garbage disposal will help churning the kitchen food waste mechanically and decompose the waste naturally. This is a good, environmentally friendly alternative to chemical drain cleaners. You don’t have to worry about the potential health hazards caused by the chemical cleaners too. Get rid of those harmful chemical drain products today and opt for a garbage disposal installation.

Are the pipes clogged up in your Nashville home? If you're having trouble, give Green Hills Plumbing a call at (615) 866-1917, so we can get down to the root of the problem.