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Using Vinegar and Baking Soda To Clear Drains
You are busy having a shower and you begin to notice that the water does not go down the drain. Chances are you have a clogged drain, and if you are like most people you are going to reach for the Drano. While it is true that Drano does work, what are the effects on the environment from this product? According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Drano breaks down into harmless components when it is released into the water and into moist soil.
Does that mean you should have it in your home? What about the danger it presents you in your home?
The active ingredient in Drano is sodium hydroxide, which burns skin, aggravates the respiratory tract and can bother the throat. If ingested it will cause vomiting, chest pain, abdomen pain and difficulty in swallowing. This is why it must be kept out of the reach of children.
Many consumers use Drano because they do not know there are alternatives out there. Two of the best alternatives come in the form of vinegar and baking soda. There are two ways you can use these products to clear your drains in a safe and ecologically-friendly manner.
- The first method is to put vinegar in a sauce pan and boil it. While boiling it, try not to breathe in too much of the vinegar vapor as it will aggravate your nose and throat but is not poisonous. Once boiled, take the sauce pan full of vinegar and pour it down the clogged drain. The acidity of vinegar and the fact that it is boiling hot will help to remove any clogs in the drain.
- The second method involves taking baking soda and pouring it over and down the drain. Then, take vinegar from the bottle and pour it on the baking soda. This will cause a chemical reaction because of the mixing of a base and acid. The baking soda will fizz and bubble and go down the drain where it eats away at the clog to remove it.
These two eco-friendly ways of clearing your drain will keep your home free of chemicals and will keep the planet free of chemicals which may be doing it harm. By clearing your drain regularly with these methods, you never have to worry about taking a bath while you try to take a shower again.