Why you should never use baking soda and vinegar to clean a drain?

Baking soda is a base while vinegar is an acid, their chemical reaction produces water with a tiny amount of salt in it, not a fat destroying drain cleaner. Plus vinegar and baking soda are not surfactants, so they do not help water carry oil and grease away the same way that detergents can.

Will baking soda and vinegar ruin pipes?

Even newly installed plumbing can pose problems out of the blue. … In reality, even simple DIY methods like the baking soda and vinegar technique that’s often used to clear a drain clog, can be harmful to your plumbing system.

Does vinegar and baking soda damage 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.

How do you clean a drain with baking soda and vinegar?

How to unclog a drain
  1. Let hot water run for a minute to warm up the pipes.
  2. Drop in 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain.
  3. Pour in 1 cup of vinegar, cover the drain with a plug and let sit for 10 minutes – you will hear fizzing.
  4. Rinse with more hot water.

Is it safe to pour vinegar down the drain?

If you suspect a grease clog, a mixture of very hot water and vinegar can also help melt and remove the grease that’s blocking the pipes. Allow it to work for a few minutes, then use a plunger to help move the clog along. You may have to repeat this more than once.

What vinegar unclogs drains?

Pour a mixture of 1 cup vinegar (apple cider vinegar works best) and 1 cup boiling water down the drain. (Substitute lemon juice for vinegar for a great-smelling drain ? Plug the drain to keep the vinegar baking soda reaction below the drain surface.

How long does baking soda and vinegar take to unclog a drain?

five to 10 minutes
Sprinkle baking soda down the drain. Pour in the vinegar and let it fizz for five to 10 minutes.

What is the best homemade drain cleaner?

Mix 1/2 cup table salt and 1/2 cup baking soda together, and pour down drain. Let sit for about 30 minutes (or overnight if it’s a tough clog), and follow with a pot of boiling water.