Coke and other colas are actually surprisingly decent pipe cleaners, so drain at will! They contain phosphoric acid, which will break down certain buildups in your pipes.
You may be surprised to learn that pouring soda down the drain does work for some clogs. To be specific, you need a dark-colored cola (such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi). This type of carbonated beverage usually contains a good amount of phosphoric acid, which given enough time, can eat away at some types of clogs.
It can clear your blocked drain without any damage on your pipes. Phosphoric acid is produced from phosphorous, which is naturally abundant in many foods. For effective drain cleaning with cola, get a two-litre bottle cola and store it at room temperature for a while.
Slightly. It's acidic and that will help dissolve some compounds that can build up in pipes. It will, over time, corrode metal piping, but if you have plastic drain piping, there's not much risk.
Cola Drain Cleaner Trick
Pour the entire bottle down the clogged drain. Allow it to sit in the drain for at least an hour or two (or even up to 24 hours for stubborn clogs). Flush drain with boiling water. Repeat as necessary.
Acids. The main reason for the cleaning properties of Coke are the acids found in it. Phosphoric acid and citric acid make the pH lower. A lower pH makes coke acidic helping it to cut through things like hard water, soap scum, grim and rust.
The bubbling reaction from the baking soda and vinegar helps to loosen the drain clog, and the boiling water in step 4 helps remove it from your pipes. Baking soda and vinegar can serve as a natural solution to unclog and clean a stinky drain.
So instead of purchasing those expensive fizzies or abrasive toilet bowl cleaners, head to the fridge and let the carbonation of Coke work its magic on filthy rings, lime buildup, and water stains. Because Coca-Cola contains carbonic, citric, and phosphoric acids, it's great for tough stains and dissolving rust.
By pouring a caustic soda (coke, for example) into the toilet bowl, you can speed the dissolving process along considerably. Simply dump a can of cola in the water and let it eat away at the debris. Just be sure never to flush the toilet when the water level is already high.
In late October, the YouTube channel Temponaut Timelapse, which documents the decomposition process of various foods, captured exactly what happens when you leave a glass of Coke out on a table for about three months on camera. The mold continues to flourish in the cup.
It'll run down and mix with the water, but leave behind an invisible layer of acid residue. The hardest part is letting the Coke work its magic. The longer you leave the acid, the better. An hour is the bare minimum, with overnight being the best.
Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides
While some household cleaning products recommended for cleaning a sink or toilet contain hazardous chemicals, the concentration is low. Most hazardous products like paint thinners, lacquers, or dry cleaning solvents should never be poured down a 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.
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.
In some cases, baking soda and vinegar can even cause damage to your pipes. Instead it's best to use other methods such as a plunger or drain snake, or removing your trap to empty out the probable blockage. You can also consider using a commercial drain cleaner that is specifically designed for tough clogs.
While hot water can help loosen up debris, coarse salt actually scours the inside of your pipes, removing more material than hot water alone. After removing standing water from the sink, pour about half a cup of table salt down the drain before you pour in the hot water.
It is not a great drain clog remover. Bleach has no effect in dissolving the common culprits of household drain clogs, like hair, food scraps and grease. Also, pouring bleach can harm the integrity of your drains and pipes. It's a lose-lose scenario.
Even if your sink is slow to drain, but eventually does, you'll want to prepare to unclog the drain so that it doesn't ruin your pipes or make the blockage worse.
It's a mixture of the phosphoric and carbonic acid and their gentle power that help to lift stains without damaging the toilet It's these ingredients that make a difference, not necessarily those that make up the flavour of coke.
Myth #3 - Use Coca-Cola to clean your toilet
The citric acid will have a good effect, but the sugar in the coca-cola can be dangerous, as it attracts bacteria. Vinegar is actually a much better idea when it comes to toilet cleaning.