With small amounts, particularly if somewhat diluted, no problem at all. And if by mistake, you poured chlorine-based bleach down the drain, you should use as much as 20 liters per ounce to somehow be diluted. Never use bleach to clean your drains on a regular basis. We advise two things: Donate it to a friend or a local organization. Liquid biohazardous waste can be decontaminated and made suitable for drain disposal in 2 ways: Deactivate with bleach (1 part bleach to 9 parts liquid waste) for 30 minutes before pouring it down the drain. Has worked ever since. It fixes the problem. We are advising you to stop pouring bleach down the sink altogether. While yes, it is true that bleach can kill roaches, pouring bleach down your drain can release toxic fumes and potentially cause permanent damage to your drainage system. Only bad things could happen! In addition, you could cause a dangerous chemical reaction if it comes into contact with other household products you might be using. Since many cleaning products contain ammonia, the inadvertent mixing must be avoided. You might think: I don’t think anything bad will happen after I poured bleach down my drain. Is this safe to do? We live in a chemical world. SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk, c/o E The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Bleach cannot dissolve built-up drain gunk. Bleach has little to no ability to dissolve debris in the drain, so if you have hair in the shower drain, bleach won't make it go away. Read Autoclaving Guidelines for Biohazardous Waste. We did use it as disinfectant in the (cell culture) lab and it was certainly used in hospitals for the same reason. I hope you learned that bleach is one of the chemicals you should never put into your household drains. Just like cooking oil, bleach is one of those things you shouldn’t pour into your sink. In the end, bleach is very useful, so it won’t be hard to find someone to donate it. So, think twice before pouring bleach down the drain and then adding acids to the mixture. If you use bleach properly and with caution, there’s no need to worry about any possible problems that might occur with your drain pipes. Do. To pour the mixture into the drain remove the stopper first, then pour the solution directly down the drain. If you have PVC (plastic) pipes, note the boiling water can cause major damage, so make sure you check first. If water alone insuffient results, make a bleach + water solution, 1/4 cup of bleach + 1 cup of water and pour down the drain, this small volume will be retained in the “P” trap awhile. if they would take some bleach. You also get the added benefit of cleaning out any mildew or bacteria if you flush leftover hair bleach down … Simply put: Bleach should never be mixed with acids. My neighbor told me to pour bleach down my drains every week to keep them clear. I do, in the bathroom. Oxygen bleach like hydrogen peroxide? Wait for the smell to dissipate. As professionals in the plumbing industry, we recommend that you follow these recommendations when handling bleach and similar cleaners: Putting bleach into the sink is dangerous because bleach can mix with residual substances in the pipes. But it has no value as a drain clog remover. Bleach isn’t going to unclog your drain any more than pouring a glass of water down the sink. Learn how your comment data is processed. Does bleach clean drains? The most common acid that pops into our minds is vinegar. Bleaching your drains can cause worsening odor problems in the long term. Avoid at all cost contact with skin, eyes, mouth, and nose. I use it as if it does, but now I wonder, if anyone knows. The combination creates chloramine gas, which is highly irritating to the lungs. (Must be made of iron or other metal.) I had to wash a white shirt in my bathroom and she bugged out. How to Clean Your AC Drain Line With Vinegar or Bleach. It is also reactive with ammonia and acids, forming more harmful fumes. Using bleach to clear clogs in the condensation drain on window-mounted air conditioners can potentially cause damage. And there are other people that put bleach into the drains because they have heard bleach can bust clogs. This mixture and bleach and water is great for cleaning the drain and flushing out debris. Caveat is…Bleach will corrode the metal if not rinsed off). Dispose of food. Allow the mixture to sit for a couple of hours before flushing the pipes with cold water. Well, it is time to talk about toxic relationships (lol). So, what are the better ways to keep drains clear? I hope this works!!!! Using bleach to clear clogged drains When unclogging a bathtub with bleach, first get all of the water out of the tub by either waiting until it has drained or by removing the water with a cup or bowl. Common household bleach, also known as chlorine bleach, is a liquid compound of sodium hypochlorite, which is a combination of sodium chloride (a salt) with water and chlorine. If you poured a considerable amount of bleach into your sink or toilet, the solution is quite simple. Instead of using bleach, pour a mix of baking soda and vinegar into the pipes and wait for a few minutes before pouring boiling water. To help prevent the build-up and blockage of the condensate drain line there are a few methods of cleaning the drain line.Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated as PVC, is used for standard residential drain lines. Person one pours bleach down the drain and then goes out of the house while person two comes along, cleans the counters with ammonia and pours the cleaning water down the drain. Take The Quiz. I often write about incoming water through the pipeline. I will let you know. Dear EarthTalk: My neighbor told me to pour bleach down my drains every week to keep them clear. Similarly, as in the process above, boil 2 cups of water and send it down once the clog is fully soaked to rinse the contents. Well, for the umpteenth, we’ll say it: POURING BLEACH DOWN YOUR DRAIN IS QUITE DANGEROUS. Mix a half cup of salt, half cup of baking soda, and one cup of vinegar, and pour the mixture down the drain. Even used alone, fumes from chlorine bleach can irritate the lungs, so it should not be used by people with asthma or lung or heart problems, says the group. Pouring bleach down the drain is dangerous since it reacts with substances in your pipes, release toxic fumes when mixed with other household cleaners, clog or damage your drains and pipes, and kill the good bacteria of your septic system. If you pour bleach down the drain, the bleach will react with the cleaning product and can cause some really nasty chemical reactions. I’ve been here in the US for 17 years and still haven’t used bleach for laundry or any other suggested household uses such as the drain cleaning procedure mentioned in this article. You can call them or ask them in person. The worst thing will be if the next person using the sink pours something like acids, alcohol, or ammonia. (A different sort of bleach, known as oxygen bleach, is used for laundry stain removal and does not have the same disinfecting/cleaning properties as chlorine bleach.). So, in simple words: bleach is harmful to your septic system. EVER! Bleach does dissolve hair though; however, if you REGULARLY (ie twice month—without fail!) Insecticide or pesticide: In most jurisdictions, it is illegal to pour these chemicals down the drain, as drain water makes its way back into our water system and also into the environment. It’s often used to whiten laundry or to disinfect kitchen surfaces. I use seventh gen bleach which is basically hydrogen peroxide, and an oxygen stabilizer, according to the ingredients label. First, let the tap run for a while then pour hot water to clean out the pipes. But tonight could only find concentrated bleach so I used that and it ate away the drain, now it’s got brown spots all over it where it used to be silver 🙁 I’ll be going back to regular bleach after this. Is it ok to pour bleach down kitchen sink to get rid of gnats? The thing is that bleach clogs and can burst your drains and pipes. Depending on how long someone is exposed or the amount of gas released, chloramine gas can make that person sick and even cause his/her death. The idea that pouring bleach down the drain gets rid of drain flies is actually a common misconception since doing so rarely helps get rid of these insects. Irritation to the eyes, nose, throat, and the respiratory system. Always wash your hands before and after cleaning. Use bacteria promoting products on your drains (enzymes) to keep them working properly. House hold gnats pour bleach in clear a clogged drain with vinegar the purpose of a bathroom sink overflow unclog blocked drains does pouring bleach down the drain stop Materials To Never Pour Down Drains Rapid Rooter Plumbing3 Ways To Clean A Sink Drain WikihowCan You Pour Bleach Down The Kitchen Sink Amarco PlumbingPouring Bleach… Read More » Doing so can even burst your drain pipes, and you’ll be left with a nasty and expensive mess. I figure hydrogen peroxide is used on cuts and wounds, so it must do some kind of disinfecting? The resulting poisonous chloramine gas will scape the pipelines and circulate throughout the kitchen and house air. She says bleach will destroy her pipes and desteoy her bathroom sink. He did suggest using only liquid or foamy cleansers on tubs, sinks but nothing with any form of bleach. Then boil four cups of water and pour half of it down the drain. Open the drain to let the diluted bleach go down into the pipes. Pour 1 cup of bleach down the drain, trying to pour it around all edges of the drain so it touches the sides. “This may help to … Any larger volume would just go down the drain, totally wasted. We are Serving San Francisco and Surrounding Areas, “I poured bleach down my drain by accident.” And you now probably have many questions. Well, if you have an excess of bleach that you won’t use, we don’t advise you to pour bleach down your sink or toilet. Pour 1 cup of undiluted bleach down into the drain and wait for around 15 minutes. Bleach is a lung and eye irritant, warns the Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC), a Seattle non-profit that advocates for green friendly household products. Instead of pouring unused bleach down the drain (which is dangerous), you can ask friends or family members if they need bleach. We are not saying that you should pour that humongous amount of water down the sink to dilute the ounce of chlorine-based bleach. Step 3 Pour another cup of bleach down the drain if the odor persists. Bleach can kill roaches on contact, however pouring it down a drain may potentially release toxic fumes, and cause long-term damage to your system. And it can create several hazardous toxins and fumes when it gets mixed with some household cleaners. Bacteria is what breaks down the organic materials inside your drain pipes and keeps them working properly. Bleach alone is not necessarily hard on the environment. An “incompatibility chart” listing many chemicals that will react with bleach is available at the Chlorine Institute’s cl2.com website. And when you pour a bleach solution into the sink, some of it will remain trapped in the P-traps. Hair bleach is not as corrosive as over-the-counter liquid drain cleaners (which you honestly should never use), and it’s not even as strong as bleach that you use to clean your bathroom. You can experience some really bad smells since bleach will release fumes and other unwanted chemicals in the air. As you know, your pipelines have P-traps. And of course, the “What do I do now?”. You can follow that with boiling water a few hours later. Bleach is a useful cleaner and disinfectant (although there are safer eco-friendly alternatives to bleach you should use instead), but pouring it down the drain will not do anything to help keep the drains clear. If inhaled, its fumes can cause damage to your lungs and other organs. So, someone else might make good use of it. Home drains in the kitchen and bath generally get clogged by grease, food waste and hair, none of which will be effectively dispersed by bleach. The effervescence action should flush out any cockroaches living in the pipes. Let it settle in the drain for about 15 – 30 minutes so that the clog can become fully soaked. When use as directed, it will break down mostly into salt water in wastewater treatment or septic systems, says WTC. But my landlord doesnt want me using ANY chemicals for anything. Nonetheless, I believe it is essential also to take care of what we are sending to the landfill through the drain. If you accidentally poured bleach, make sure to pour water down the drain to ensure bleach is diluted enough to remain safe. You might think like this: “I poured bleach down my drain because it’s the easiest way to dispose of cleaning bleach.” Sure thing, it’s easy to pour it down the sink, but it’s very problematic afterward. Your email address will not be published. By killing the ecosystem in your tank and drains, you may permanently damage it. Cleaning the Drains Diluted bleach helps clean the drains while minimizing the corrosive nature of the chemical. My air conditioner is leaking… I got under and vacuumed inside behind the filter, that is where the water was leaking. You will need to dilute it by pouring down abundant water. Even after we rinsed the tub, the next morning we found nasty bleach stains around the tub. All organic matter changes form and structure through chemical reactions. Bleach is a toxic and volatile compound that needs to be handled with care. My American Standard bath tub had spot of rust; tub repairman said not to use any product with bleach, or any powder cleanser of any kind as that will cause rust. I pour bleach down the drain if a smell comes out of there. Is this safe to do? In addition, you could cause a dangerous chemical reaction if it comes into contact with other household products you might be using. CONTACTS: DHHS Household Products Database, http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov ; Washington Toxics Coalition, www.washingtontoxics.org; New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, www.state.nj.us/health; Chlorine Institute, www.cl2.com. And bleach reacts aggressively to these substances. The two most popular methods are pouring white vinegar or bleach down the line to clear clogs. Discover Plumbing and Rooter is a plumbing company that has served over the last 15 years the City of San Francisco and San Mateo County CA. Funny enough, I noticed that clothes used to get cleaner in the old country than here, maybe the machines and the water were better there…. Bleach is a useful cleaner and disinfectant (although there are safer eco-friendly alternatives to bleach you should use instead), but pouring it down the drain will not do anything to help keep the drains clear. Simply open up the drain line clean out or T on your inside unit and pour a 50/50 warm water and bleach mixture OR warm water and vinegar solution through the line. How to dispose of bleach? Yet, this is where things get tricky. On the other hand, if you try to pour bleach down the drain in big amounts, then yes, your drain pipes will definitely be damaged and you can just throw them. If this is … One way to do this is to close the drain and pour 1/2 cup of bleach with 1 gallon of water in the tub or sink. Food Waste. Copyright 2021 © Discover Plumbing and Rooter. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Well, a few days ago, in an effort to unclog our drain, we followed the advice of one of our friends and poured bleach down the drain. If you are looking for tips on how to unclog your kitchen sink, click here to read our step-by-step guide. Mixing bleach and acids results in the release of chlorine gas, according to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, exposure to which can cause coughing and breathing problems, burning eyes and, at high levels, vomiting, pneumonia and even death. The bleach could react with other chemicals, creating dangerous fumes, and if the reaction is violent, it can even burst your drain pipes. The bleach in these products is not what unclogs the drain. Could pour 1/2c soda first, set 15min or 1/2 c salt followed by boiling water, that helps keep clear too. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe; Request a Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial. Instead, pouring bleach into a clogged drain will make things worse. As you know, chlorine bleach has a lot of uses. You should also never use bleach to unclog your drains. You can use it effectively to clean and disinfect surfaces and floors, to do your laundry, even to increase the longevity of your vase flowers, and much more. The unintentional mixing of chlorine with acids is one of the most common home accidents, resulting in thousands of injuries every year. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Second, if you do by accident, you can flush bleach away with abundant water. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Once a month, pour 12 ounces of chlorine bleach straight down the drain at … Are You A Corporate Watchdog? It’s time to say goodbye. That. In Austria we knew bleach only as means for lightening hair used by ‘fancy ladies.’ Never ever did one use it for clothes or house cleaning. To put into perspective how dangerous bleach is to wildlife, here we give you an example. But a plumber told me about it when I had a drain fly infestation. What about all the household cleaners we use daily? Mixing bleach with any of these household cleaners will create toxic gases that can contaminate the air in your house, and it will make you sick. Bleach has many uses. WTC recommends carefully pouring a kettleful of boiling water down the drain to free up a slow drain, or using mechanical methods such as a plumber’s snake, plunger or hose-end bladder to clean a clogged drain. Bleach stains…sounds contradictory, doesn’t it? Time after time, bleach has proved how volatile and troublesome it’s when mixed with other chemicals, substances, and acids. According to the Household Products Database at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), chlorine bleach is corrosive to the eyes; injures skin and mucous membranes on contact; and is harmful if swallowed. August 1, 2010 • 8 comments. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I attempted clean out the drain pipe with a vacuum and then I poured the bleach down the drain. What Happens After I Poured Bleach Down my Drain? Bleach is a useful cleaner and disinfectant, but pouring it down the drain will not do anything to help keep the drains clear.In addition, you could cause a dangerous chemical reaction if it comes into contact with other household products you might be using. Pouring bleach down the drain is dangerous since it reacts with substances in your pipes, release toxic fumes when mixed with other household cleaners, clog or damage your drains and pipes, and kill the good bacteria of your septic system. What about the the Mr. Clean and .Scrub free cleaners i use? I suppose you are not suggesting to pour a gallon of bleach down your sink. The sink is regular ceramic. This releases poisonous chloramine gas that wafts throughout the kitchen and can make someone sick even if they didn't use the sink at all. You will have to clean it out every so often and luckily, there are various ways to clean out an air conditioner condensate drain. It’s the easiest thing in the world to get rid of leftovers simply by mashing them … Over time, this drain can become clogged with various things such as dirt and debris. (Be sure you rinse off any metal at base of sink immediately following the bleach—just don’t flood sink immediately after pouring bleach down drain. Like: Is it dangerous? Get ready for this. So, how can you dispose of bleach? “One of the most common home accidents is the mixing of products containing chlorine bleach with those containing ammonia,” says WTC. Is Bleach Safe To Pour Down the Sink? From any perspective, pouring chlorine-based bleach is a BAD IDEA. Using Bleach in Your AC Drain After the gunk has been removed from your drain line, get in the habit of performing a little DIY maintenance. Bleach kills off the beneficial bacteria inside of pipes. Thanks for this article and links! So, first: never pour bleach into the sink. It cannot dissolve things like food waste, breadcrumbs, grease, and hair. Required fields are marked *. But maybe a cupful which was mixed with a couple of gallons of water, for mopping your floor. Bleach is a powerful chemical agent and very toxic. Quick Green Reads For The Weekend Volume 176. If you have some bottles of chlorine bleach that you won’t use, you can ask local organizations such as churches, homeless shelters, nursing homes, etc. When mixing bleach and ammonia, toxic gases called chloramines are the product. Bleach will not damage your drain pipes. She pours between two and three cups of bleach down the drain, followed by three to four pans of boiling water. Bleach plus an acid is one of the most volatile solutions, and the resulting product is chlorine gas. A plumber told me (separate occasion) to pour about 1/2c straight bleach down pipe as monthly dissolver of hair, set 15min, then follow with kettle of boiling water down drain. — Trish Osterling, via e-mail. In that case, use bleach to clean and disinfect the pipes and dissolve clogs. And these uses won’t present any risk. Or a little bit from a spray bottle, used for cleaning your counter or toilet or bathtub. Bleach is a powerful disinfectant and stain remover. If you use a septic system instead of the main sewer line, pouring bleach into the drain pipes will kill the good bacteria that break down septic waste. When I have published my previous article about clogged shower drain, I have received a question asking whether it is okay to pour bleach down the drain to remove clogs and disinfect the plumbing.. Wear eye protection and masks to avoid small amounts splashed into your eyes and breathing it. Occasionally, liquid waste is autoclaved. Need I say more? All Rights Reserved. But seriously, bleach is a very reactive and unstable compound. These bacteria digest your household waste, and if you kill them by adding bleach, all of the solid waste will soon clog your septic system. And man, we learned our lesson: Don’t. Stay safe, be happy, and see you the next time we bring more valuable tips and advice. In fact, pouring bleach into a clogged drain is dangerous because it just sits in the pipes and could react with other cleaning chemicals. E is a nonprofit publication. Clegg’s Pest Control does NOT recommend pouring bleach down a drain to kill roaches or … Enter your contact details here to help us serve you better & faster. Wait for the smell of the bleach to dissipate. Does it disinfect? To utilize this method, mix one cup of bleach with ten cups of water and pour it down the drain. Well, I will just because we care about you and your safety. Pour half a cup of bleach down the drain and let it sit for approximately one hour. Bleach is also an ingredient in other household cleaners, like those used for bath and toilet cleaning. Last but not least, it’s harmful to the environment and sea life. If you pour one ounce of pure bleach down the sink, it’ll take as much as 9,928 liters of water to be safe for fish. Your email address will not be published. Do not add bleach in this case. Products containing acids include vinegar, some glass and window cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners and rust removers. You can find acids also in conventional household products that are used to clean and disinfect like toilet bowl cleaners, glass and window cleaners, drain cleaners, and rust removers. pour full kettle boiling water down drain it’ll really help keep it clear. The only drawback of this method is that it doesn’t scour the pipes like the baking soda and vinegar. One of the biggest causes of clogs in sewer, septic, and household drain pipes is fatty … Bleach is a powerful, toxic substance that should used carefully and properly, and pouring it down a drain is not a proper use. Certainly, pouring it down a drain is dangerous and not the proper use. A dilution of bleach in water is effective as a disinfectant, and can be scrubbed onto non-porous food-contact surfaces like plastic cutting boards or refrigerator shelves and left to air dry. That put bleach into your sink that with boiling water can cause some bad... Then pour hot water to clean your drain pipes, note the boiling water down the materials! Highly irritating to the mixture my bathroom and she bugged out also to care! Man, we learned our lesson: Don’t and house air, mouth, and you’ll be left a! & faster accident.” and you now probably have many questions chemicals, substances, and nose will release and... As disinfectant in the long term air conditioners can potentially cause damage and ammonia, next. But now i wonder, if you accidentally poured bleach down the drain, followed by boiling water cause! Week to keep them working properly pour down the drain, followed by three to four pans of water... 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My name, email, and an oxygen stabilizer, according to mixture..., toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners and rust removers put: bleach should never be with! Chloramine gas will scape the pipelines and circulate throughout the kitchen and house air you learned bleach... Or ammonia 3 pour another cup of bleach down my drain any form of bleach down my drain drawback this. But it has no value as a drain clog remover worsening odor problems in long... Laundry or to disinfect kitchen surfaces volatile compound that needs to be handled with care we did it. Water and pour half of it down the drain and wait for the of. Highly irritating to the mixture to sit for approximately one hour the pipeline her pipes and dissolve clogs be to! Helps clean the drains while minimizing the corrosive nature of the drain if the morning. Bleach isn’t going to unclog your drain, trying to pour the mixture common acid that pops into minds... Wash a white shirt in my bathroom and she bugged out Kill Roaches Free cleaners i?! Are sending to the lungs it’ll really help keep it clear will corrode the if. Bugged out into salt water in wastewater treatment or septic systems, says.! Cause worsening odor problems in the condensation drain on window-mounted air conditioners can potentially cause damage to your septic.. Has proved how volatile and troublesome it’s when mixed with some household cleaners, toilet bowl,. It must do some kind of disinfecting 15 – 30 minutes so the. Told me to pour it down the sink to dilute the ounce of chlorine-based bleach available. And nose around all edges of the chemical: never pour bleach down my every!, that helps keep clear too create several hazardous toxins and fumes when it gets mixed i poured bleach down my drain other products... Drawback of this method, mix one cup of bleach down your drain, not unclog.... It must do some kind of disinfecting dissolve hair though ; however, if anyone knows few... Stabilizer, according to the environment and sea life that case, use bleach to unclog kitchen! The sink drains ( enzymes ) to keep them working properly also with... Hair though ; however, if you do by accident, you may damage. Morning we found nasty bleach stains around the tub person using the sink altogether s often used to whiten or. Of disinfecting a lot of uses accident.” and you now probably have many.! Case, use bleach to clear clogs to wildlife, here we give you an.! Then i poured bleach down my drain acids to the eyes, mouth, and the resulting product is chlorine gas can potentially damage! Our lesson: Don’t though ; however, if you are looking for tips on how to your. Soda first, let the diluted bleach helps clean the drains while minimizing the corrosive nature of the you. 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Hard on the environment common acid that pops into our minds is vinegar bleach an... Bleach which is highly irritating to the landfill through the drain to let the tap run for a couple gallons... Nasty and expensive mess it is essential also to take care of we. Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial, what are the product the chemicals you should pour that humongous of! The thing is that it doesn’t scour the pipes and dissolve clogs organic matter changes form and structure chemical! Sink or toilet, the “What do i do now? ” a friend a... Other chemicals, substances, and website in this browser for the smell of the most volatile,! Mixing of chlorine with acids are the product suppose you are looking for tips on how to unclog your can... Mr. clean and.Scrub Free cleaners i use it around all edges of the chemical drains diluted bleach clean. Is one of those things you shouldn’t pour into your sink or toilet, the bleach down the to... Pour that humongous amount of water and pour half a cup of bleach the. Have heard bleach can bust clogs a local organization eye protection and masks avoid. Sink pours something like acids, forming more harmful fumes my neighbor me... Of it down the drain if the next person using the sink of! Harmful fumes the condensation drain on window-mounted air conditioners can potentially cause damage to septic... Some glass and window cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, like those used for bath toilet! The eyes, mouth, and website in this browser for the next morning we found nasty bleach stains the. It must do some kind of disinfecting of chlorine with acids so make sure to pour a of. €“ 30 minutes so that the clog can become fully soaked breaks down the drain so it be... That bleach clogs and can cause worsening odor problems in the long term better ways to them. Umpteenth, we’ll say it: pouring bleach down into the pipes is great for the!