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Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain?
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 2008-09-11 11:51 AM |
Master  1563    Chicago |  Subject: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain?I am sorry if this sounds like a really dumb question, but it doesn't sound right to me, it sounds like that would do damage to it, no? I had a really bad clog a few months back, and my landlord told me I was responsible for getting it fixed, so I called a local plumber from the area and he came out and did whatever it is that needed to be done, and while he was wrapping up, he told me that from time to time, instead of the stuff you buy at the store, that I should pour a 1/2 cup of bleach down there to keep it from clogging. This just seemed bad for the drain, but then again, I know NOTHING about plumbing. Any ideas? |
| 2008-09-11 12:03 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Pro 4040 | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I think so. Just be sure not to mix it with any other plumbing product as it can produce poisonous gas which could seriously harm you. |
| 2008-09-11 12:09 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Champion 6931  Bellingham, Washington | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I had a plumber tell me that those colored water things you put in the toilet were actually bad for the plumbing, eats up the seals.... Speaking of which, our toilet in the master bedroom is leaking where it meets the floor. I'm going to stimulate the economy and hire a plumber to fix it. |
| 2008-09-11 12:16 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Champion 16151 Checkin' out the podium girls | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I'd buy a can of solid Drano. Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) is an oxidant and will kill germs, bacteria, etc. Sodium Hydroxide (Drano) is a base and will denature and eats up protein; things like hair, dead skin. It also eats up fats and grease; things like soap also get destroyed. 1 Tbsp a month won't hurt the pipes if you follow the directions. You could also snake the drains periodically. A nasty job... Different problem if you have septic though. That's much more delicate than a sewer. Edited by pitt83 2008-09-11 12:20 PM |
| 2008-09-11 12:17 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
| Iron Donkey 38643 , Wisconsin | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? Yes I can, but should I? One commentor - http://www.ehow.com/tips_17961.html And another - http://www.getcrafty.com/viewtopic.php?p=4380 Mixed reactions - http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071102194251AAn4HGt A tip site - http://www.stuffinanutshell.com/make/drain.html
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| 2008-09-11 12:39 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Pro 4339 Husker Nation | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I don't see how it is any different than pouring household bleach down a washing machine drain. As Opus said - mix it with Ammonia specifically and someone will have to come in and get you. And as the other poster said - I'd go with a product specifically made for that purpose. |
| 2008-09-11 12:42 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
| Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I second the motion for getting a really good formula of drain-o. Since I have thick, long, curly hair, I shed like a retriever and my sink and shower get clogged a lot. The dual-action drain-o works fine. I usually have to use the whole bottle (two rounds, half a bottle each round), but that always does the job. |
| 2008-09-11 12:46 PM in reply to: #1667568 |
Pro 4612 MA | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? pitt83 - 2008-09-11 1:16 PM I'd buy a can of solid Drano. Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) is an oxidant and will kill germs, bacteria, etc. Sodium Hydroxide (Drano) is a base and will denature and eats up protein; things like hair, dead skin. It also eats up fats and grease; things like soap also get destroyed. 1 Tbsp a month won't hurt the pipes if you follow the directions. You could also snake the drains periodically. A nasty job... Different problem if you have septic though. That's much more delicate than a sewer. just make sure you don't mix bleach with Drano or you'd pass out from the fume. |
| 2008-09-11 1:12 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Science Nerd 28760 Redwood City, California | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? You can. We dump it down the drains in the lab at work. Flush with lots of water after to make sure nothing gets mixed in. It's not really going to help you unclog a drain though. |
| 2008-09-11 1:33 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Champion 8766 Evergreen, Colorado | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I used bleach on the bottom of my tub when I got back from my deployment. The white had "un-whited" from the dogsitter's lack of cleaning. And I drained it down the drain when I was done... I do this to the sink occasionally too. I don't think it would damage it. |
| 2008-09-11 2:07 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Elite 3201 South Florida | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? Just today the exterminator told me to pour bleach down all of my drains once in a while to help keep cockroaches away. I guess they live in the drains and can get in your house that way. |
| 2008-09-11 2:09 PM in reply to: #1667547 |
| Regular 206 | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? BellinghamSpence - 2008-09-11 12:09 PM I had a plumber tell me that those colored water things you put in the toilet were actually bad for the plumbing, eats up the seals.... Speaking of which, our toilet in the master bedroom is leaking where it meets the floor. I'm going to stimulate the economy and hire a plumber to fix it. I installed two toilets in the house last year and found by reading the paperwork that came with them that using those things voids the warranty.
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| 2008-09-11 2:13 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Master 1563 Chicago | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? When he said this, I said, "I usually just use Draino or something like that made to unclog pipes" and he said bleach was better....I too have curly, thick hair, but I think our pipes just suck. Thanks for the advice!
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| 2008-09-11 2:14 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Champion 34263 Chicago | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? My plumber buddy says `YES YOU CAN!' And he said he recommends it because it keeps drains clear. |
| 2008-09-11 2:16 PM in reply to: #1667547 |
Elite 2443 Athens, Georgia | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? BellinghamSpence - 2008-09-11 1:09 PM I had a plumber tell me that those colored water things you put in the toilet were actually bad for the plumbing, eats up the seals.... Speaking of which, our toilet in the master bedroom is leaking where it meets the floor. I'm going to stimulate the economy and hire a plumber to fix it. Just a thought to remember when cleaning this up. That water is of the dirty sorts so proceed accordingly when cleaning it up. |
| 2008-09-11 3:27 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Regular 97 Near Atlanta | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? Yes you can... NO it doesn't mess up any "seals" (neither does Drain-O)
pouring bleach down the drain will make an attempt to kill the bacteria that line the pipes (the bacteria grows and "grabs hair, etc, to close the opening, like plaque in an artery) problem is that bleach, like water, runs through the pipes pretty quickly, so it doesn't always work very well...
a plumber can use a tool called a pipe snake to physically rub the walls and dislodge the bacteria...
oh and the bacteria smells aweful!!
Edited by rbreddin75 2008-09-11 3:37 PM |
| 2008-09-11 3:31 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Champion 7931 Sequim, Washington | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I cycle the jetted tub with a bleach solution before I will take a bath in it(about a quart of bleach and a full tub of hot water)...There is nasty stuff that grows in the inaccessible areas...ewww |
| 2008-09-11 5:12 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Elite 2777 In my bunk with new shoes and purple sweats. | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? No you can't, during period of ZERO gravity. However at all other times it's perfectly safe. |
| 2008-09-11 8:46 PM in reply to: #1667488 |
Sneaky Slow 8694 Herndon, VA, | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? Also, don't pee in the toilet if there is bleach in it. Also produces chloramines, just like ammonia does. I did that once by accident after I cleaned the bathroom, and forgot to flush, and the eyes got all irritated and such. |
| 2008-09-11 9:09 PM in reply to: #1668078 |
| Champion 8903 | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? Wolfhound668 - 2008-09-11 3:09 PM I installed two toilets in the house last year and found by reading the paperwork that came with them that using those things voids the warranty. Wow there is a warranty on a toilet? Who knew! "Yeah, i'd, uhhh, like to uhhh, trade this toilet in for a new one, it's under warranty and it's all, uhhh, kinda crappy...."
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| 2021-04-23 10:48 PM in reply to: Opus |
| 1 | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? Absolutely correct. I've done this before and thank God we're safe. Late to find out this instruction. You're on point. Though it's an old convo but I remember those days that's why I'm here  |
| 2022-02-14 11:15 PM in reply to: hackettxs |
| 1 | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? nice |
| 2022-03-07 12:30 PM in reply to: miami9296 |
| 4 | Subject: RE: Can you pour household bleach down a tub drain? I wouldn't do it. Also kind of strange that the landlord says you're responsible for a maintenance issues in a rental. |
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