If your drain is clogged with ice cubes — then yes, boiling water can unclog a drain. But if your drain is clogged with the things that normally clog drains — grease, oil, dirt, hair, etc. — then no, boiling water isn't likely to help.
Use Boiling Water
You can use a funnel or a pouring cup to make this easier. Pour it down the drain at a steady pace, wait a few seconds, then test out your shower. The boiling water can loosen up the soap and grease holding the hair in place, allowing it to flush down properly.
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.
Unclog a Shower Drain With Boiling Water
Hot water will help break up and dissolve the gunk that is blocking your drain. Attempt this only if you have metal pipes in your home; don't use boiling water if you have PVC pipes because it could cause joints to loosen.
For tough clogs, use a full cup. While that sits, bring a half pot of water (about 4 cups) to boil. Pour this directly into the drain very slowly but steadily to avoid getting burned by splashing water. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then run water down the drain to check how freely water flows.
While it's probably okay to dump boiling water in the sink when your pipes are clear, a clog will trap the water in the pipe. This can melt PVC piping and pipe seals, causing serious damage.
Weekly, there are a few things you can do to give your drain the best chances for not being clogged. Once a week, flush your drain by boiling a large pot of water. Pour one-half of the pot down the 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.
Is it bad to plunge a shower drain? While it won't necessarily cause damage, you should not plunge a shower drain. It will only cause the clog to travel further down your plumbing.
If it's bubbling, that means it is working. Cover the area and then let sit for about 15 minutes. When the bubbling subsides, you can pour hot water down the drain. If you have plastic pipes, do not use boiling water as it can melt them.
While the phosphoric acid found in cola can help alleviate some minor clogs, carbonated beverages are certainly not the ideal drain cleaner. Better DIY methods include a baking soda/vinegar mixture, a plunger, or a plumber's snake.
Another option for dissolving hair in a drain is to use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. This mixture will create a chemical reaction that will break down the hair. Mix equal parts baking soda and vinegar and pour it down the drain to use this method.
Bleach dissolves hair and it takes a bit of time. If it doesn't get rid of the stoppage completely then try another application of a cup of bleach. This may not always work. There are many other things that can clog a drain line…
Baking Soda and Salt Solution
For another solution to dissolve hair in a drain, follow these steps: Mix 1 cup of baking soda with 1/2 cup of salt. Pour the mixture down the drain. Let it sit overnight.
An effective way of breaking up hair clogs is through the use of baking soda and vinegar. Firstly, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain and then after a few minutes pour a cup of vinegar down the drain as well. After a couple of hours you can turn the shower on and see if the blockage has been dissolved.
Stripping your hair of the natural oils and sebum your scalp naturally produces, water that is too hot may leave your hair immensely dry, dull, and limp. This is especially true for those with naturally thin strands or those with overly porous hair.
Attempting to force a clog through a toilet with a plunger can often make the problem worse. Instead, create a seal and slowly push down on the plunger before pulling it back sharply. The suction can help pull the clog back up toward the bowl, breaking the blockage and allowing gravity to take over.
Mix together 1 cup of vinegar (distilled white vinegar works best) and 1 cup of baking soda. First, pour boiling water down the drain to loosen; then follow with the baking soda-vinegar mixture and wait 15 minutes. Rinse with more boiling water.
Forceful plunging can damage the drain line and cause leaks. Along with clogs that require extra force, avoid plunging obvious major obstructions.
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.
Or you can pour one cup of vinegar down the drain and let it sit for 30 minutes, followed by a rinse with two quarts of very hot water.
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.
Water that hasn't been boiled can also contain bacteria. Formula therefore needs to be made up with water hot enough to kill the bacteria, which is at least 70 degrees C. This means boiling the kettle and leaving it to cool for no longer than 30 minutes, so that it remains at a temperature of at least 70 degrees C.
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.
Always have the cold running. The hot/boiling water hits it and is cooled somewhat as it mixes.