How to Unclog Drains With Dawn Detergent

Plumbing problems can be a nightmare, especially if you have a clogged drain. Before you attempt to make an appointment with a plumber, try out the dish or laundry detergent for a clogged drain method and see if that clears everything up. You may be tempted to reach for a chemical drain cleaner, but sometimes those products can cause more of a nuisance than trying to clean the drain pipe buildup yourself.

Experts suggest avoiding chemical drain cleaners because they can damage your pipes, and they can be a safety hazard. Drain cleaners use chemicals like acid and lye. These chemicals heat up when they come into contact with clogs, and this chemical reaction can damage your pipes. If you have PVC pipes or older pipes, they can easily corrode if you tend to use chemical cleaners frequently. Chemical cleaners can also be a safety risk because if you accidentally get cleaner on yourself, they can burn your skin. Also, toxic fumes can be dangerous if you inhale them.

The best thing about using dish detergent is that you don't have to be super cautious when using the product because it won't cause any harm. There are a few things you need to know before using this method though. If there is a complete stagnation of water, you won't be able to use the dish detergent to reach the clog. Instead, you'll have to remove the clog with a snake, plunger or other items.

Another tip is that you can use dish detergent for a clogged drain with any other mechanical method or the baking soda and vinegar method. If you unclog a drain with Dawn, the dishwashing soap will not cause a corrosive effect on the pipelines, so you can use this method as many times as you need. If you happened to use any chemical drain cleaners before using dish detergent, then you should not use this method.

You can use different types of dishwashing liquid, but you don't want to use a chemical drain cleaner followed up by a dishwashing liquid. When you're using the dish or laundry detergent clogged drain method, make sure to use hot or boiling water to flush the drain thoroughly. Hot water works better than cold water at removing clogs.

There are two methods if you're attempting to clean drain pipe buildup. Both of these methods only require hot water and a liquid detergent. For the first method, you're going to boil 1 liter of water and pour it in the drain. This will help loosen up the clogged drain. Then pour 1 cup of liquid detergent and wait a few minutes. Follow this up with another liter of boiling water poured into the drain. This should remove the clog in the drain, but if it doesn't, you can repeat as many times as you need.

For the second method, you're going to lather up a bit of detergent in a small amount of lukewarm water. Then pour this mixture down the drain. This method is beneficial if your drain isn't super clogged. You can even use this method frequently if you want to make sure that your drain doesn't clog throughout the month.