Active Ingredients in Liquid Plumber
Liquid-Plumr is a drain-cleaning product manufactured by the Clorox, a U.S. household-products company. The product was introduced in 1969 in direct competition with Drano, at that time the dominant drain-clearing product. Since then, Liquid-Plumr has captured about half of the market for chemical drain cleaners. Although useful, the product can also be toxic and should be handled with care. Does this Spark an idea?
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Active Ingredients
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The active ingredients in Liquid-Plumr (and in Drano) are sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite. The product is used by pouring it into a clogged drain. The ingredients react with water and break down material they come into contact with. As it travels down the pipe, the heavy fluid releases heat and dissolves grease, soap, hair and other foreign matter that commonly collects in household drains. The sodium hypochlorite (bleach) also dissolves hair and other organic matter. The active ingredients break down quickly so as not to do any corrosive damage to sewer and septic systems. The product is rated safe for metal and PVC pipes.
Use
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Pour Liquid-Plumr down the drain to be cleared, which can take from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the nature of the clog. After water begins to flow, the drain is cleared of remaining foreign matter with a flush of hot water.
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Other Products
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An associated product, Liquid-Plumr Foaming Pipe Snake, contains a third active ingredient, hydrogen peroxide, which is designed to foam when in contact with water and clear the entire circumference of the pipe. Another product, Liquid-Plumr Power Jet, releases carbon dioxide into the pipe to react with solidified clogs.
Consumer Cautions
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Clorox advises consumers to never use Liquid-Plumr with other drain-cleaning products. The bleach contained in Liquid-Plumr can react with other chemicals, such as ammonia, to create toxic vapors. Also, use of a plunger can be dangerous, as the product can damage skin, eyes and mucus membranes on contact. Liquid-Plumr is effective on bath, floor, sink and kitchen drains, less so on toilet systems, as the product cannot clear waste-matter clogs.
Caution: Lye
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Any product containing sodium hydroxide should be handled with care. Also known as lye, this is a harsh and corrosive alkaline substance that has been used for centuries as a cleaning agent, in soapmaking, and in food preservation. Handling lye in any form can cause chemical burns and skin damage, and ingesting it can result in permanent injury or death.
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