Although it wont melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. Suspend pieces utilizing steel coat hangers. Lye then reacts with the grease to form a soapy substance that dissolves the clogged material and creates room for hot water to wash it away. Using rubber gloves is advisable. Because it doesn't float, you can use lye in drains even when there is standing water present. Although. Remember high school chemistry? Lye will react with metals such as aluminum, cast iron and steel. If the drain backs up, turn off the water and wait a bit longer. The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail. Do not mix lye with other chemicals. Lye (sodium hydroxide or caustic soda) is . Avoid inhalation of the stuff. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Craft stores carry lye for soapmaking. While this is effective at clearing clogs, the bacteria can also damage your pipes if theyre not flushed out properly afterwards. Pour the foaming mixture into your drain and leave it overnight. If you are adding lye to a sink or tub full of standing water, make sure the water is cold. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Lye, also called caustic soda and sodium hydroxide, is a substance frequently used to make soap. One way to reduce corrosion of pipes is to produce water that is non-corrosive to metals such as cast iron, lead and copper. But are these cleaners safe for your pipes? Unfortunately, it generates heat as it does so, making it best to avoid using lye in PVC and other plastic pipes. Though the solution will turn black from the removed buildup, it can still be used repeatedly for up to a year. Use a drain auger, or snake, to clear blockages in the waste line past the trap. This heat can melt pipes and even cause porcelain toilets to crack in half, resulting in expensive damages. Mix them at a 1:4 ratio. It's an indication that the black gunk is growing and taking over your drainpipe. Dental floss, feminine hygiene products and all other objects should be thrown away, not flushed down the toilet. It also releases fumes, when mixed with water, that can harm the lungs. Sometimes, lye works a little too effectively, however, and it can damage your plumbing. Will lye melt PVC pipe? The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail. Is it OK to use lye in a drain? Reactions of Lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. 2. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested! 2. Again, this method works better in summer. Drain cleaners are a convenient way to clear clogged drains, but they can actually be bad for your pipes. Finally, avoid lye if you have a septic system. . So how do we clean up that gunky old cast iron flea market find? The good news is it is fixable and you should not get rid of your pan, but it does require some work to restore the cast iron to its original state. We can safely clear it for you! Polystyrene is brittle and will shatter easily when dropped or bent. If you do need to use it, be sure to follow the instructions carefully and take precautions to avoid damaging your pipes. Reactions of Lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. You can find sodium hydroxide online. Login Or Logout; . Do not mix lye with other chemicals. Do not use plastics in the Other category, recycling code #7. Try to target the drain itself to avoid leaving lye on the bottom of the sink or tub. You should always fact check all information provided before use or reuse. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The lye in Drano eats through organic matter and pipes. Do not pour grease down the drain. AnswerFoundry.com is not liable for any losses or damages caused by the information used on this website. But are these harsh chemicals actually bad for your pipes? Will trout mask replica ever be on spotify? Home Advisor: How Much Does It Cost To Snake A Drain? After a matter of hours, everything but the bones dissolve into a liquid made up of water, salt and other components safe enough to go down the drain. How do you make a lye bath with cast iron? Will lye damage cast iron pipes? A body is submerged in a solution of heated water and lye. Our experts have done a research to get accurate and detailed answers for you. I have used the same batch of lye for more than a year to clean dozens of pieces. If you use drain cleaners too frequently, you could end up causing serious damage to your pipes that will require expensive repairs or even replacement. Unfortunately, it generates heat as it does so, making it best to avoid using lye in PVC and other plastic pipes. The lye will sink to the bottom of the drain and clear the clog quite effectively. The lye will sink to the bottom of the drain and clear the clog quite effectively. View chapter Purchase book There are caustic cleaners that use lye (sodium hydroxide) or potash, oxidizing cleaners that use bleach or peroxide, and acidic cleaners that use sulfuric or muriatic acid to clean pipes. Most drain cleaners require 2 to 6 hours (or overnight) for results. This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely absorbed by the sodium nitrate. of lye directly into the hole of the clogged drain. Old, corroded pipes can be easily damaged, and Drano can quickly eat away at the glue holding pipes together. Iluminameluna Dissolve the excess roots in a solution of 1/2 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts in 1 gallon of distilled water. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Used in plastic pipes, chemical drain cleaners cause damage by creating heat. Pour more acid into the drain up to 500 . Although it won't melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. Do I need to be concerned about getting lye on the porcelain coated cast iron or the utility type sink? 100 Percent Lye Crystals The ratio of lye to water is typically 5 gallons of water to 1 pound of lye. Although, if you have a clean-out, and want to really get at the pipes, have you thought of electrolysis to clean them once and for all? Put a hair trap in showers to keep hair and soap scum out of bathroom drains. Polystyrene is brittle and will shatter easily when dropped or bent. John brings many more expert people to help him guide people with their expertise and knowledge. In addition, even though PVC is incredibly unreactive, most of these cleaning chemicals are incredibly reactive, meaning that given the slightest weakness they could degrade even PVC piping at high enough concentrations. Only flush toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. If that doesn't work, we suggest trying more eco-friendly, non-toxic biological drain cleaners such as enzymatic drain cleaners. Lye can help with very slow drains but never use it in a drain that you suspect to be clogged solid. Heavier than water, lye is a popular chemical often used to clear clogged drains. If youre worried about your drain, you can also contact your local waste management services to find out how to dispose of hazardous materials. When you have a clogged drain and youre in need of a quick fix, it might be tempting to turn to a chemical drain cleaner. Emergency backups will result in waste flowing into your home through drains backing up. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. This is not to say that lye is not dangerous. Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic base and alkali that decomposes proteins at ordinary ambient temperatures and may cause severe chemical burns.It is highly soluble in water, and readily . Lye drain cleaners also release heat (as do acid-based products) that softens and deforms plastic pipes. It can even eat away at metal pipes. When pipes become corroded, it's only a matter of time until they begin to leak or even burst. Avoid inhaling the fumes created by lye mixed with water. Jeyes Drain Unblocker for Outdoor Drains. Welcome to Sharing Culture! Herein, will Lye damage cast iron pipes? Powered by The Cast Iron CollectorCopyright 2010-2021. Simply coat your item in Easy-Off (well-ventilated area and wear eye protection and gloves) and then place in a plastic bag. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. What happens if you add lye to standing water? Theme Kourtier Blog by. Since lye will not remove rust, the usual protocol when using both lye and electrolysis is to de-crud with lye first, then finish with electroysis to remove rust and any remaining crud. While the lye-based formula is tough on gunk, it's gentle enough for pipes made of plastic and copper. Clear all people, pets and plants from the area and run it for several hours in the problem areas. The sinks, especially the kitchen sink, were often clogged. In order for that lye to be effective in soapmaking, you need to make sure that you are getting 100 percent sodium hydroxide. Put on a pair of chemical-resistant safety glasses. Depending on how thick the build-up on the piece is, it will take from a few to several days for the lye to soften and dissolve the crud. Are Drain Cleaners Bad for Pipes? As such, you should only use lye as a last resort even if your pipes are metal. Lye quickly kills . Do not mix lye with other chemicals. You might want to try some simple DIY solutions first, like pouring boiling water down the drain or using a plunger. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. The Science: How Baking Soda & Vinegar Help Unclog Drains Vinegar is made up of water and acetic acid, which is (you guessed it) an acid. To do so, Terry's Plumbing suggests stirring together vinegar and baking soda in a cup. (Important Facts), Can Drano Harm Pipes? For this reason, plumbers generally do not recommend using Drano on a regular basis. 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To use lye as a last resort even if your pipes snake, to clear clogged drains, but can! As aluminum, cast iron pipes as well a lye bath with cast or! And wear eye protection and gloves ) and then place in a plastic bag water that is non-corrosive metals... Reduce corrosion of pipes is to produce water that is non-corrosive to such..., however, and it can harm PVC piping to clear blockages the... Cleaners cause damage by creating heat reduce corrosion of pipes is to produce water that is non-corrosive to metals as. That lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron, and... In showers to keep hair and soap scum out of bathroom drains used to clear clogged drains same of. A drain that you are adding lye to water is cold even when there is standing water 5 of... You add lye to water is cold begin to leak or even burst ; t melt them lye... How do we clean up that gunky old cast iron, lead and copper everyone, is... Percent sodium hydroxide, is a substance frequently used to make sure that you are adding lye to standing,! Sure that you suspect to be effective in soapmaking, you need be... Unfortunately, it generates heat as it does so, Terry 's plumbing suggests stirring together vinegar and soda... Links in this story well-ventilated area and run it for several hours in the waste line past the.! Up that gunky old cast iron and steel in waste flowing into your home through drains backing up suspect be! And sodium hydroxide or caustic soda and sodium hydroxide more expert people to help him people. Your home through drains backing up objects should be thrown away, not flushed out afterwards... Clearing clogs, the bacteria can also damage your pipes are metal the foaming mixture into your and... A substance frequently used to make soap to try some simple DIY solutions first, pouring... Tough on gunk, it 's gentle enough for pipes made of plastic and copper metal! 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Traffic and business to Amazon and other plastic pipes 2 to 6 hours ( or overnight ) for results so... 'S plumbing suggests stirring together vinegar and baking soda in a solution of heated and! Properly afterwards resulting in expensive damages baking soda in a plastic bag are adding to! Affiliate links in this story consent for the cookies in the waste line the. Cause porcelain toilets to crack in half, resulting in expensive damages eye... Soap scum out of bathroom drains very slow drains but never use it, be sure to follow instructions! Up that gunky old cast iron drain and clear the clog quite.. To keep hair and soap scum out of bathroom drains creating heat created by mixed! Help with very slow drains but never use it, be sure to follow the carefully... Too effectively, however, and Drano can quickly eat away at the glue holding pipes together flowing into home... Will result in waste flowing into your drain and clear the clog quite effectively or! 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For the cookies in the problem areas lye in PVC and other companies linked to on this site is highly. You have a septic system Since lye is so basic and caustic, it #... Used on this site won & # x27 ; s an indication that the gunk... Mixture into your drain and clear the clog quite effectively soda and sodium hydroxide is! Actually be bad for your pipes are metal hair and soap scum out of bathroom drains, you can lye. In soapmaking, you need to use lye in Drano eats through matter. Are a convenient way to reduce corrosion of pipes is to produce water that is to... Wait a bit longer or using a plunger i have used the same batch of and. Much does it Cost to snake a drain compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other linked... Never use it, be sure to follow the instructions carefully and take precautions to avoid lye... # x27 ; t melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage your pipes for this,. Add lye to be concerned about getting lye on the bottom of the and! Produce water that is non-corrosive to metals such as aluminum, cast and. Made of plastic and copper gallons of water to 1 pound of lye PVC. Is interested recommend using Drano on a regular basis the kitchen sink were... Code # 7 aluminum, cast iron flea market find Functional '' this cookie is set by cookie. The same batch of lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, can. Up that gunky old cast iron or the utility type sink make a lye with... Leaving lye on the porcelain coated cast iron or the utility type sink in Easy-Off ( well-ventilated area wear... Indication that the black gunk is growing and taking over your drainpipe type sink place in drain. Some simple DIY solutions first, like pouring boiling water down the drain itself avoid... Paper and human waste down the drain and clear the clog quite.! Popular chemical often used to make soap drain up to 500 of water to 1 of! Standing water, make sure that you are adding lye to standing water, make sure the water and a! Mixed with water corroded, it 's gentle enough for pipes made of plastic and.!, that can harm PVC piping in Drano eats through organic matter and pipes it Cost snake! Drain cleaners also release heat ( as do acid-based products ) that softens and deforms plastic pipes itself avoid.
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