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.
The hydrochloric acid can break down the coding in your pipes. Over time if you continue to use it, it can cause your pipes to corrode and holes to form. The damage from it can cost more than regular professional drain cleanings or DIY solutions.
The most common chemicals used to unblock sinks are Drano, hydrochloric acid, or caustic soda. Chemical drain cleaners can be effective at removing even the toughest clogs. They come in different forms, such as powder, liquid, or gel, so be sure to buy one that best suits your situation.
Sulfuric acid is very simple to use and will unclog a drain within an hour, usually within seconds if it's not completely plugged up.
Muriatic acid will damage metal pipes over time, but not PVC pipes. Please remember that muriatic acid should be poured into water to avoid the acid splashing up.
[ABS, PVC, HIPS] => Acetone and Methyl Ethyl Ketone [MEK aka 2-Butanone] will dissolve both ABS and PVC and chemically rebuild the joint in a less ordered manner as the solvents dries.
Oxidizers, acids, and caustics are examples of drain cleaners that can cause PVC pipes to melt or become soft. Sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid are the active ingredients of acid cleaners.
Best acidic drain cleaner
The Santeen Sulfuric Acid Drain Opener proved to be the most potent among all the chemical drain cleaners we tested, effectively dissolving 80% of the hair, 80% of the organic matter, 40% of the grease, and 76% of the paper products.
Hydrochloric acid is highly effective and can quickly clear even the toughest clogs.
Sulphuric acid is solid and corrosive enough to break down organic materials, grease, oil, hair, etc., which clears clogging. Since these chemicals are corrosive, they can severely damage your pipes. Regular use can even form small holes in the pipes, rendering them useless.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
We suggest that you mix 1/3 of a cup of baking soda with 1/3rd of a cup of vinegar to create your drain unblocking remedy. When mixing the two ingredients, they should start to fizz straight away so you should waste no time pouring the concoction straight down your sink.
PVC is resistant to many alcohols, fats, oils and aromatic free petrol. It is also resistant to most common corroding agents including inorganic acids, alkalis and salts.
Chemicals Used by a Plumbing Company
Drain cleaners often contain potassium hydroxide to transform grease into soft soap, and thioglycolic acid to dissolve hair. Other common ingredients include sodium hydroxide, lye, or sulfuric acid. Some of these ingredients are toxic and require special care.
Plumbers commonly use hydrochloric acid to unclog pipes. Sulfuric acid drain cleaner is an option to consider. Sodium hydroxide is another common drain cleaner. Enzyme cleaners are worth considering.
Hydrochloric Acid
In a similar way, this acid, when used in a chemical cleaner, can be poured down a drain pipe or in a kitchen sink and it can help unblock a drain quickly by breaking down the blockages.
Drano® Liquid Drain Cleaner starts working to unclog your drain on contact. After 15 to 30 minutes, clogs are substantially minimized or dissolved. A final blast of hot water flushes away what's left of the clog.
Red coloured acid drain cleaner containing 90-96% sulphuric acid. Quickly and simply clears blocked sinks and drains.
Baking Soda + Vinegar
Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar down drain. Plug drain and let sit for one hour. Then, pour a pot of boiling water down drain.
In the case of plastic pipes, the caustic materials can cause a chemical reaction, which produces heat and can melt or warp the pipe. In addition to causing pipe damage, drain cleaners can also cause serious injury if not used properly.
Complete answer: Plastic contains some contents which are considered as a resistance for the hydrochloric acid, so due to this reason hydrochloric acid does not dissolve plastic. Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid and is highly reactive with metals, metal oxides and skin.
Caustic soda is often used by homeowners to clear blocked drains but it can also make them worse. Caustic Soda is a very dangerous material to use and should be handled with great caution. Due to its hazardous nature it is imperative that it is kept out of reach of children.
While certain cleaners may not be compatible with PVC piping, bleach is usually safe to use in most applications, as long as it's used properly.