Everyday Drains

A blocked drain is enough to drive most of the people to their wit’s end. A transparent recourse in such cases is to show the plumber and while that’s a wise option, there are certain things that you simply can do yourself to unblock a drain. The overwhelming majority of blocked drains are caused by jammed-up debris like hair, food particles, and other unwanted materials. Natural drain cleaners are often ineffective at removing this debris completely, which suggests chemical-based cleaners are your most suitable option. Here we glance at one such cleaning agent, caustic soda, and therefore the thanks to using it to unblock drains in your house. Get some rubber gloves and eye protection. Caustic soda (also mentioned as Sodium Hydroxide) can cause nasty chemical burns. You’ll pick some up from your local ironmongery shop, but always use caution handling it. Pour 3/4 gallon of cold water into a bucket, then add 3 cups of caustic soda and mix it well. Stir it well with an old wooden spoon to urge good results. It’ll begin to fizz and heat up. Carefully pour it into the clogged or affected drain and leave for 20-30 minutes, then flush the drain with boiling water. Repeat if necessary. The chemical name of caustic soda is sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and it’s also mentioned as lye. The name caustic soda springs from the material’s origins as a sodium hydrate and it’s called caustic because, well, it’s highly corrosive in nature. It’s the last bit that's of most interest once we mention unclogging blocked drains. Sodium hydroxide causes a reaction when it comes into contact with organic materials like dirt, food, hair, etc. it is known that caustic soda can also be easily dissolved in water, which is one reason why many drain cleaning service providers use it.