How to Make Your Own Industrial Drain Cleaner

Don't use industrial drain cleaners if your sink is stainless steel.

While pouring boiling water down your drain might work to dissolve toilet paper or soap scum clogs, it may not always work to remove tough or large clogs. Industrial strength drain cleaner contains harsh chemicals that are highly toxic. Always handle them with extreme care as they can cause serious burns to your skin, lungs and eyes. Don't use sodium hydroxide on aluminum, brass or galvanized steel pipes and don't use sulfuric acid on stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized steel pipes.

Things You'll Need

• Gloves
• Goggles
• Dust mask
• Sulfuric acid
• Sodium hydroxide

Instructions

Using Sulfuric Acid

1. Put on gloves, goggles and a dust mask. Open windows and doors to ventilate the area while you're working.

2. Pour about 1 cup sulfuric acid down the drain. Don't measure it; eyeball the amount and pour it directly down the drain. Handle the acid container as little as possible to prevent accidents.

3. Let the acid sit for 10 seconds.

4. Run water down the drain until the clog is free.

5. Repeat the process if the clog is still there.

Sodium Hydroxide

1. Put on gloves, goggles and a dust mask. Ventilate the area.

2. Pour ½ cup powdered sodium hydroxide down the drain.

3. Turn the water on for 10 seconds, then let the solution sit in the drain. The solution will work to dissolve the drain.

4. Repeat the process until the clog clears.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't let sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide touch your skin or get in your eyes. Immediately flush the area with water if contact occurs.

• Keep these very harsh chemicals away from children and pets.

• If you live with children, consider discarding the excess drain cleaner after using it so a child doesn't have access to the chemicals.

References

• Duda Diesel: Using Chemicals as Effective Drain Cleaners