Sulfuric Acid In Drain Pipes

Liquid lightning drain opener is a buffered sulfuric acid solution that cleans scale and dissolves pipe clogs.

Sulfuric acid in drain pipes.

I have found sulfuric acid to be the best drain cleaner. It isn t safe for cast iron or galvanized steel pipes though so it s best not to use it if you have older plumbing. Do not use sulfuric acid with stainless steel aluminum chrome or galvanized steel pipes. Even once a clog has been cleared sulfuric acid drain cleaner could still cause problems.

This is because many brands will mix the acid with other chemicals such as foaming agents. Sulfuric acid is a chemical that can unclog blockages in drain pipes. A 93 inhibited virgin sulfuric acid drain opener with metal inhibitors quickly dissolves grease hair paper food rags and other organic obstructions use in toilets sinks and drains. It is safe to.

The drain cleaners that soften pvc pipes are oxidizers caustics and acids. It s been about an hour and a half since i first poured in the acid now and the pipe doesn t appear to be draining any faster. Although they all do it a bit differently each of these substances works by causing a chemical reaction that breaks down clogs. Any help is appreciated.

It s widely available and costs about 10 for a 32 ounce container. Also i m not sure if this matters but the pipes around all the fixtures are pvc but the actual drain pipe outside is cast iron. Although the chemical itself is colorless the sulfuric acid based drain cleaning products that you ll find in hardware stores will vary in color. Acid cleaners have either hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid as their active ingredients.

Acidic drain cleaners made of sulfuric or hydrochloric acid are powerful enough to clear heavy duty hair food grease soap scum or paper based clogs in 15 minutes or less. Because it is a toxic chemical sulfuric acid drain cleaner can irritate a person s eyes when it is exposed to air. There are caustic cleaners that use lye sodium hydroxide or potash oxidizing cleaners that use bleach or peroxide and acidic cleaners that use sulfuric or muriatic acid to clean pipes. It has the potential to kill the necessary bacteria in a septic system and it can cause pipes to corrode.

Sulfuric acid quickly eats through paper rags sanitary napkins food scraps and all organic matter it will melt ice and liquefy grease.