Can I Pour Bleach Down The Shower Drain?

The answer is no.

Bleach is a potent and toxic substance, so you need to be careful in applying to it.  

Also, this substance can reach with any other substances in plumbing and pipework,  without paying attention for precaution, it may end up too severe damage on your pipes.

Why is it essential to maintain your shower drainage clean?

Think about what goes down to your drains every day. When you’re taking a shower, hair, soap, and different types of dirt wash out and make their way through to your home plumbing system.  

Cleaning your drainage keeps your pipes happy and healthy.

If you ignore maintaining your drainages at home, there are some instances that all the types of accumulation while taking a bath will cause clogged pipes.

Additionally, maintaining your shower drains and sinks’ cleanliness prevents dirt buildup in your sewage and pipelines.

It is recommended that you, as a homeowner, schedule a drain cleaning routine for your shower drainage to minimize future problems, leading you to spend a lot of money to fix the problem.

If you still want some information about cleaning your shower drainage, this article is perfect for you!

Is It Safe To Pour Bleach Down The Shower Drain?

Generally, bleach is a toxic substance that can clean anything and can destroy too. If you pour it down to your drain without any precaution and correct process, it becomes unsafe.

It can react to any substance in your pipes, releasing fumes and other plugs up into your system. Be careful when you’re bleaching your pipes to prevent damages.

Moreover, getting your drains maintained is incredibly essential to the foundation of your plumbing system at home.  

As you know, running water is needed for your daily task in your home, like showering, washing clothes, cleaning your dishes, brushing teeth, toilet usage, and many other things.

However, it is normal for your drains to get clogged by your hair, soap, food particles, and dirt.

When you begin to see a clogged drain, you should clean them immediately.

Indeed, it is easy to ignore clogged drains until you experience the problem, and it becomes unbearable.

Sometimes as homeowners, we don’t act unless we don’t see the problem in front of us, and this kind of mindset is very wrong.

It would help if you got your drains regularly; you will thank yourself later, saving you time and money.

Remember that your home’s pipes are part of the bigger system shared by everyone in your hometown.

Furthermore, if you can’t fix your drains, you should reach out for professional help to do it for you. Apart from contacting a professional plumber, it is also worthwhile to use home DIY remedies for cleaning drainages.

You may try at home mixing a tablespoon of baking soda and vinegar. It is safe because these products are a natural cleaner and may help you loosen some debris that is stuck in your drains.

How Often Should You Pour Bleach Down Your Drain?

Generally, you are recommended to clean your drainage every once a month. You may use bleach to clean and disinfect your pipes and dissolve those clogs inside.

After that, pour 12 ounces of chlorine bleach straight down to your pipes at the end of the day. Also, be careful not to let the bleach sit in the bowl of the sink, especially a sink made of stainless steel.

What Do You Pour Down A Shower Drain?

You might already know the feeling of being in the shower and having dirty water pooling in your feet.

Probably, it’s a gross feeling.

Your dirt, hair falls, and soap crumbs are the primary cause of having a slow draining in your pipes.

The question is, what are the substances that are safe and effective to pour down inside your shower drains.

Below are the types of cleaning substances to answer this question.

1. All-purpose Cleaners

Below are the two types of All-purpose remedy:

•  Abrasive Cleaners

It is a cleaning remedy designed to remove the relatively heavy amount of soil often found in small areas of your shower drains.

Abrasive cleaners come in powder and liquid form and contain a built-in elbow grease, which helps you cut down the hard soil inside the pipe.

• Non-abrasive Cleaners

It is the second type of all-purpose cleaners, which is marketed as powder and liquid in form. To use this kind of substance’s full strength, you need to dissolve it properly with water.

After dissolving it, you may now apply it properly to the clogged area.

2. Specialty Cleaners

The specialty cleaners’ products have a narrow spectrum that is stronger than an all-purpose product.

Using specialty cleaner products properly on a specific condition may give you optimum performance and convenience.

•  Bleaches

It is one of the used substances for cleaning your shower drains. Also, it has disinfectant properties that kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi, including molds and mildew, very well.

Bleach is best to use for severe drainage, following proper precautions in using it.

•  Drain Openers

Drain openers have two types: the built-up removers and the traditional drain openers. Built-up removers are formulated to prevent geese and soap scum from built-up to your drains.

Whereas the traditional drain openers are the most used cleaning materials for hard to clean clogs.

3. DIY Home Cleaners

If your drains only need light cleaning tasks, DIY home cleaning remedies are okay to use. A home cleaning remedy is products formulated to provide a solution for your mild shower drain problems.

Generally, the home cleaner may also provide you advantages because it is natural; that’s why it’s safe, convenient, and affordable like ammonia and baking soda.

Hence, you need to be aware that you need to confirm that the home chemicals you are using are safe and effective.

Will Bleach Dissolve Hair Drain?

Yes, bleach can dissolve a hair drain. Just pour enough bleach, and after a half-hour, any hair that blocks your clogs is liquified.

Additionally, if your tub or sink started to retain water, chances are you are dealing with hair clogged.

What’s worse, when you are left seeing a lot of hairballs in front of you, even if you throw your hair fall to the trash, still, you can’t catch them all.

To remove your hair clog damage, pour 1 cup of undiluted bleach down to the drain and let the bleach do its work.

Let it sit for 1 hour. Don’t run water into the drain during this time. If you do so, your bleach becomes less effective.

After 1 hour, run hot water to the drain and observe the water’s flow down the drain. If the flow is still slow, allow the water to drain first, then you may repeat the process.

Pour Bleach Down The Drain To Kill Bugs – Does It Work?

Yes, it works; since bleach is a toxic substance, it will kill bugs instantly. However, it shouldn’t be pouring directly down the drain to kill the bugs.

Many of you believe that bleaching directly to your shower pipe might get control of the fly’s production. This kind of idea is a common mistake since hence if you rarely do it, it might get rid of the insects.

Indeed, bleach chemicals might get rid of some larvae, but if the bleach passes quickly to the drain, it won’t penetrate the thick buildup of the eggs deposited by a female drain fly.

As a result, in most scenarios, bleach might not get rid of all the drain bugs.

It is why you need to consider proper uses.

Pour Bleach Down The Drain For The Smell – Does It Work?

Sometimes, having too much clogged also creates an unpleasant smell that adds up to your problem. Eliminating these unwanted odors, you may fill your pipe with hot water, add bleach, and then let it go down to your drain.

Repeat it after you notice that the flow to your drainage backs to its average speed.

What To Do If I Poured Bleach Down My Drain?

Pouring bleach down to your drain will help you dissolve the clogs inside, and also, you may now experience a great smell inside your shower room.

The lousy scent in your bathroom will not just disappoint you but also your relatives or friends who will use it.

You should always maintain your shower area to prevent you from getting sick because the bacteria came from your shower room.

Summary

In summary, bleaching or bleach is a material that is very effective in cleaning your shower room. Also, this substance keeps the Bad odor away.

Though it has a negative effect if it is not used and applied correctly, we can’t deny that bleaching is the best to maintain your shower room cleanliness.

You are maintaining your shower drains to have a quality shower room, and it should not be a burden to you. It is because it’s for your good sense that it will instantly call the viruses and bacteria with bleach.

It is why every household should implement proper cleaning of a bathroom.

Generally, cleaning your shower drains is not that hard. Just use bleach properly, and you may now enjoy the clog-free drainage inside your shower room.  

Nobody wants to have a shower room that looks gross because of clog water mix up with other dirt specks coming from you.

It is why maintaining your drains is one of your roles as homeowners.

Lastly, bleach is a powerful substance. That’s why make sure that you know how to use it, but if you have no time to do it for yourself, calling a professional plumber might help you a lot.

Resources

Image credits – Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Drain on Wikipedia