Does baking soda and vinegar damage pipes?

The answer is yes. While the baking soda and vinegar solution is effective in breaking down a clog, it will also cause your drain to become more damaged. The baking soda's abrasive nature will wear down your drain over time.

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Can you put baking soda and vinegar down the drain?

With time, baking soda and vinegar may work as a natural drain cleaner on weaker drain clogs, and the benefits of regular drain cleaning can help keep your drains free of clogs. But for tough drain clogs that need to be dissolved right away, you may want to use a stronger drain cleaner, like Liquid-Plumr.

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Is vinegar and baking soda safe for PVC pipes?

The answer is that vinegar will not harm your pipes if used in small doses as recommended in many of the recipes that you find online. No matter what your pipes are made of, pex, pvc, copper, etc. Vinegar will not harm your water pipes.

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Can you leave baking soda and vinegar in drain overnight?

It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain. Always flush this mixture down with boiling water—no matter how long you leave it sitting in the drain.

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Is it safe to use baking soda and vinegar in kitchen sink?

A lot of chemical drain cleaners are harsh, abrasive and can cause damage to the environment. Baking soda and vinegar, on the other hand, are both natural and non-toxic, making them safe to pour down the drain.

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Does vinegar and baking soda damage PVC pipes?

18 related questions found

How often can you put baking soda and vinegar down the drain?

Monthly Is The Way To Go

By using methods that incorporate baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water, you can ensure that your drains are working properly for days, months, and years to come without major work or an emergency call.

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Is pouring vinegar down the drain bad?

Vinegar. Vinegar is both safe and beneficial to pour down your drain. It acts as a natural cleaning solution and can remove blockages and harmful bacteria that cause foul odors.

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Why does my drain still smell after baking soda and vinegar?

If a kitchen or bathroom sink drain still smells after removing trapped hair and using the baking soda and vinegar, there may be something caught in the p-trap that's causing the odor.

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Why is baking soda and vinegar not clearing my drain?

Baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid; when the two are combined, you get a fizzy chemical reaction that has some properties that can eat away at a clog. However, when you use this combination to unclog a drain, it's just plain ineffective.

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What happens if you put too much baking soda down the drain?

Baking soda powder will turn into a cement like mass and completely clog everything it settles in.

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How much baking soda and vinegar for pipes?

If your drain is clogged, clean it by pouring a pan of boiling water down the drain. Follow the water with 1 cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar. You'll probably see some bubbles as the chemical reaction works its magic and opens your drain.

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What can dissolve hair in a drain?

If your drain is clogged with hair, baking soda can dissolve hair in a drain. To try this safe and easy method at home - first, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then pour a cup of vinegar (white vinegar) down. Allow the mixture to sit for several minutes.

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How long do you leave baking soda and vinegar in toilet?

How to Unclog a Toilet with Baking Soda and Vinegar
  1. Check and, if necessary, adjust the water level in the bowl. ...
  2. Pour one cup of baking soda into the bowl.
  3. Slowly pour one cup of vinegar into the bowl. ...
  4. Allow the fizz to sit for at least 20 minutes.
  5. See if it worked.

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What is the black gunk in my shower drain?

The "creepy black stuff" in your drain is made up of a combination of things, mostly decomposing hair, soap scum, toothpaste grit, shaving cream residue, skin cells, etc.

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What can I use instead of baking soda to unclog drain?

Salt, Borax, and Vinegar

Start with 1/4 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of Borax, and then a 1/2 cup of vinegar. Add a pot of boiling water and let it sit for at least an hour or until it clears. Finally, rinse with hot tap water to clear all ingredients down the drain.

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Can you use vinegar and baking soda in a toilet?

Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together, can form a chemical reaction that looks sort of like an eruption. This chemical reaction can help clear your toilet and any pipe clogs that you might have.

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Does salt baking soda and vinegar unclog drains?

For stubborn clogs: baking soda, salt, and vinegar

"The coarse grit of the salt will gently scrape the inside of your pipes and loosen up trapped debris," Jackson says, while the vinegar will chemically react with the baking soda, lifting grime from the pipes.

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Will boiling water harm PVC pipes?

Will Boiling Water Damage PVC Pipes? The general rule of thumb is that hot boiling water can soften or even slightly melt the joints in your PVC pipes so YES, if you subject these types of pipes to high temperature water on a regular basis - they can be damaged, causing leaks and eventually requiring replacement.

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Why does my bathroom sink drain smell like rotten eggs?

A slow-draining sink clogged with ordinary hair and soap scum can build up bacteria in the P-trap until your bathroom sink smells like rotten eggs. This smell can also happen in sinks that haven't been used for a long time. Clear the clog by using a combination of baking soda, white vinegar and hot water.

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How long does it take for baking soda to unclog a drain?

Drop in 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Pour in 1 cup of vinegar, cover the drain with a plug and let sit for 10 minutes – you will hear fizzing. Rinse with more hot water.

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How do I get the rotten egg smell out of my bathroom sink?

If your drain smells like rotten eggs, you must disinfect the pipes to get rid of the odor. You can eliminate the bacteria by pouring a ½ cup of bleach down your drains. However, if you would like an alternative, pour down ½ a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar.

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What acid do plumbers use to unclog drains?

Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a strong acid that is commonly used to dissolve clogs in drains. This acid works by breaking down organic materials such as hair, grease, and soap scum that can accumulate in pipes and cause blockages.

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Is it safe to pour boiling water down bathroom sink?

Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.

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How often should I pour vinegar down the drain?

Two to three times a year, flush the drain with baking soda and vinegar. Run hot water down the drain. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar with the hot water down the drain. This combo foams up and removes debris, and it also helps kill bacteria and remove odors.

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